Melody Tower Earns Florida Green Building Certification

By IvyLee Rosario

Melody Tower

Miami—After meeting the sustainable standards established in the Florida Green High-Rise Residential Building certification program, Melody Tower of the 27th Plaza Corp. in Miami has been certified by the Florida Green Building Coalition. The certification represents achievements in categories such as water conservation, indoor air quality, durability, energy efficiency, site preservation, materials and disaster mitigation.

“Green building certification requires that all phases of the construction process comply with the criteria associated with that process, from design phase through construction phase,” Suzanne Cook, executive director for the Florida Green Building Coalition, explained to Multi-Housing News. “Melody Towers registered in 2014 and was completed in 2016.”

The 497-unit high-rise residential and retail mixed-use project is located in the Edgewater arts and entertainment district of downtown Miami and offers a pool and recreation deck, a fitness center and social room. Conservation methods taken in the building included the installation of Energy Star appliances, automatic timers or motion sensors on lighting controls, the use of low-flow kitchen and bathroom faucets, shower heads and dual-flush toilets to minimize water usage, the installation of drought tolerant plants for 80 percent of the landscaping, an irrigation system that incorporated separate zones for turf and landscape beds and the use of light-colored finishes on interior walls to reflect natural lighting.

“A minimum of 100 points is required for certification,” Cook said. “An accredited FGBC designated professional works with the project’s ‘green team’ to coordinate the certification requirements for each trade and to gather the required inspection and verification documents. Those are then submitted to an independent third-party project evaluator who reviews the submittal package to verify the project has met the certification requirements.”

The FGBC-certified projects complete a building assessment and construction process to promote design and construction practices that reduce the negative environmental impacts of the building, improve occupant health and well-being and reduce operating costs for the owner. The project conducted equipment testing and balancing to verify field installed equipment such as the HVAC, renewable energy, lighting and hot water systems.

Low impact development strategies were used to collect and treat storm water entirely on the site. Indoor air quality was enhanced through the use of highly-efficient MERV filters, low VOC paints, stains and adhesives, certified green label carpet, green cleaning products and maintenance practices. The heat island effect of the building was reduced by using highly-reflective exterior with materials and locating the parking under the building. Electric vehicle charging stations were provided in the parking area.

“As an FGBC-certified building, Melody Tower serves as a model of sustainability for Miami-Dade County businesses and residents,” said Cook.

Image courtesy of The Florida Green Building Coalition