One Oak Park

The City of Houston is moving aggressively to have its buildings and major developments seek higher energy optimization through more stringent energy codes. To this end, building owner Means-Knaus Partners worked with Gensler to design One Oak Park, a 159,000-square-foot office building that serves as a model of energy efficiency. The owner saw this opportunity as a way to differentiate One Oak Park in an energy market that has seen rapidly escalating electricity costs. Gensler also seeks to show that green design is good design and adds to the health of the occupants, the building, the business, and the planet.

Gensler and Means-Knaus Partners used EPA's Target Finder tool to both validate targeted energy performance and demonstrate stewardship of community and investor resources. One Oak Park rated 85 out of 100 in the tool, thus earning Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR.

There is an increasing demand for sustainable work environments in Houston, and One Oak Park responds to this market need by providing 159,000 square feet of sustainable space available for occupancy beginning in early 2009. The building is expected to use 34 percent less energy compared with a similar building in the United States.

Energy-efficient design elements include: a roof system that is ENERGY STAR compliant and will reflect heat away from the building; high performance glazing; and an energy heat recovery system to reduce energy consumption.