In partnership with McLennan Design and its founder Jason F. McLennan, the project aims to directly address the growing issue of climate change. With a continued commitment to sustainability, the new HMTX Industries World Headquarters is on track to become the first Living Building Challenge Petal Certified project in the state of Connecticut. HMTX Industries is also the first flooring company to pursue the Living Building Challenge, the world’s most stringent green building rating system that promotes the concept of regenerative design to create spaces that give more than they take. As a living building, the HMTX facility is intended to be largely self-sufficient while creating a positive impact on the people and natural systems that surround it while producing zero carbon emissions.
“This is a monumental project for Connecticut, one that demonstrates the leading-edge possibilities within sustainable, green design,” said Kevin Sullivan, Executive Vice President at Shawmut Design and Construction. “The HMTX World Headquarters is slated to become a global model for Living Building Challenge projects well into the future and will set a precedent for sustainable building.”
The HMTX building is designed to be energy positive with over 100 percent of the building’s power demand coming from on-site PV panels with an estimated 144,000 kWh/yr in solar power. It has a predicted energy use intensity (EUI) of 18 with ultra-efficient envelope and mechanical systems, a 60 percent reduction from baseline office buildings of the same size and location; passive cooling with operable windows and skylights; and natural daylighting by façade optimization and sunshade louvers.
“Our new HMTX headquarters is designed to represent the core values on which our company was built and has grown,” said Harlan Stone, CEO of HMTX Industries. “What I like to refer to as our House Up On The Hill will merge nature and sustainability with innovation and collaboration. It will provide a unique space for artists, engineers, developers, and architects, as well as creative and disruptive thinkers, to exchange ideas and thoughts in this modern day salon.”
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Water conservation features include a rainwater capture and reuse system with a 5,000-gallon storage tank to provide gray water for flush fixtures and utility uses; low-flow fixtures throughout the entire building; three separate rain gardens that treat storm water naturally and provide on-site retention and infiltration; natural site drainage preserved to the highest extent possible; and a water-wall in the building plaza to create white noise over surrounding traffic.
Employees’ health and wellness has also been taken into consideration in the design, with natural daylighting in every space; healthy indoor air flows freely through use of Red List Free materials, the highest ventilation standards; and EPA cleaning protocols with green cleaning products. Biophilic design features connect users more closely to nature, including a 1,700-square-foot green roof with native flowers, shrubs, and trees; a naturally daylit green wall and several interior planters; natural and biophilic finish materials throughout; natural patterns and geometries to offer spaces of both prospect and refuge; and paths and boardwalks outdoors for birdwatching and forest bathing. Interior design and landscape will feature artwork by local and worldwide artists, and the ecologically conscious facility will also provide spaces for artists-in-residence design studios.
