Mueller Honor Recognizes Its Place In Green Building Movement

AUSTIN, TEXAS — At a recent ceremony during the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo held the U.S. Green Building Council honored Mueller and the public-private partnership between the City of Austin and Catellus Development Corp. with its prestigious 2018 Leadership Award, an annual recognition of those at the forefront of the green building movement.

“The Leadership Awards recognize the power of truly outstanding leadership in the marketplace and within the green building community,” Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of USGBC, said in a prepared statement after the Nov. 14 conference. “Through actions informed by decades of experience, collaboration and partnership, and calculated risk taking, developments like Mueller exemplify the types of green-building leadership that allow all of us to benefit from a healthier, more prosperous and more sustainable world in the future.”

The USGBC’s LEED green building certification program is the world’s foremost tool for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of green buildings. The 700-acre mixed-use, mixed income Mueller community is the first neighborhood in Texas and one of the largest neighborhoods in the world to earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Neighborhood Development Gold Certification from the USGBC.

Additionally, Mueller is currently home to approximately 20 buildings with LEED certification,

including the first and only LEED-Platinum hospital in the world (Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas), the first LEED-Platinum-designated building in Central Texas (Ronald McDonald House) one of the first LEED-Gold grocery stores (H-E-B) in the country, two LEED-Platinum multifamily communities developed by AMLI and the Austin ISD Performing Arts Center.

More LEED certifications are pending, officials said, including the Texas Mutual Insurance headquarters located in Mueller’s Aldrich Street district.

“Mueller’s sustainability achievements to date are a source of immense pride for the City of Austin, for Austin Energy and for so many citizens surrounding Austin’s former airport who had the vision nearly 20 years ago to require that this redevelopment meet significant green building standards,” Austin Mayor Pro Tem and District 9 Council Member Kathie Tovo said. “Mueller’s large-scale efforts in urban design, solar energy collection, water conservation, proper construction waste management, alternative transportation modes and much more are providing valuable guidance for other developments in Austin and across the country.”

Added Greg Weaver, executive vice president of Catellus Development, the master developer of Mueller: “We’ve been committed to developing an exceptional, green-built community from the very beginning, one that started with an early vision of sustainability from the City of Austin and the surrounding community. Catellus shares this strong commitment to sustainability. We’re honored Mueller has been recognized by the USGBC for these ongoing efforts and we’re proud to help provide a healthier environment for those who choose to enjoy all Mueller has to offer.”

All of Mueller’s commercial buildings achieve a LEED certification or at least a two-star rating in

Austin Energy’s Green Building program, the home-grown Austin LEED predecessor. Additionally, all homes at Mueller are required to achieve at least a three-star rating; currently, more than 165 homes have achieved a four- or five-star rating.

Other sustainable elements that can be found throughout the Mueller community include:

• To date, Mueller has reduced its indoor water consumption by more than 27 percent, saved 23.1 million kWh of energy annually and diverted 85 percent of construction waste from landfills.
• Multiple former airport structures have been repurposed: a 1920s-era hangar is currently used for a twice weekly farmers’ market and event venue; a private terminal building is now a welcome center and Catellus’ offices; runway materials were recycled to build local roads and a regional highway and a former bus shelter has become a shade area for the community gardens.
• Mueller has one of the highest concentrations of both rooftop solar panels and electric vehicles in the country, thanks, in part, to Austin Energy Rebates and Pecan Street; charging stations for electric vehicles can also be found throughout the development at several locations.
• Austin Energy has built two innovative structures at Mueller: (1) one of the most environmentally friendly cooling-heating-power (CHP) plants in the world that provides chilled water cooling, steam from sterilization and onsite electric production to Dell Children’s and eight other area buildings and (2) a 1.75MW battery storage system as part of the Austin SHINES Project that will store and distribute energy produced from Mueller’s nearby solar generation. All commercial buildings and 140 acres of parks at Mueller, are irrigated with reclaimed water and planted with native and adaptive species that require less irrigation.
• Regional storm water detention and treatment in Mueller helps prevent adjacent neighborhoods from flood risks.

About Mueller

Mueller is one of the nation’s most notable mixed-income, mixed-use communities located

in the heart of Austin. The 700-acre site of Austin’s former airport is being transformed into a diverse, sustainable, compatible, revitalizing and fiscally responsible master-planned community. Mueller is a joint project between the City of Austin Economic Development department and Catellus Development. Upon completion, Mueller will feature at least 6,200 single-family and multi-family homes, a mixed-use town center district known as Aldrich Street, 4.5 million square feet of prime commercial space, including 750,000 square feet of local and regional retail space, 140 acres of public parks and open space, plus Dell Children’s Medical Center, the Austin Film Studios, The Thinkery children’s museum, HEB grocer and the Austin ISD Performing Arts Center. For more information, visit www.MuellerAustin.com, or via Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MuellerAustin and follow us on Twitter @MuellerAustin.

About Catellus (www.catellus.com)

Catellus is a national leader in mixed-use development, solving some of America’s most complex land challenges. With nearly 30 years of experience as a master developer, Catellus has transformed former airports, military bases and urban industrial sites into thriving retail, residential and commercial communities. These projects, which often include substantial public amenities, add economic, social and environmental value to the communities they serve. Catellus has both the financial strength and development expertise to turn vision into reality at even the most demanding development sites.

About the City of Austin, Economic Development Department (www.austintexas.gov/ecodev)

The City’s Economic Development Department, formed in 2002, has led redevelopment, small business development, business recruitment, international economic development, and the cultural arts, music, and film programs for the City. With a focus on regenerating key assets of the city, the Redevelopment Division has implemented catalyst redevelopment projects, including the Seaholm District, Second Street Retail District, and the Mueller Redevelopment, an award-winning national model for responsible urban planning and development.

About Austin Energy Green Building

Austin Energy® Green Building® (AEGB) is celebrating 25 years of leadership in green building. AEGB developed the first rating system in the U.S. to evaluate buildings sustainability, and created a model for many other cities, as well as the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification system. Today, AEGB continues to develop and support a rating system that helps Austin reach its local environmental and climate protection goals. The ratings pave the way for energy and building code advancement that reduce building energy use and create a continuous improvement cycle. Visit www.greenbuilding.austinenergy.com.

About the U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org)

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, an international network of local community leaders, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Editor's note: Text provided by Mueller

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>>> Top photo courtesy of Catellus Development Corp.