tvsdesign and Partners Help Music City Center Achieve LEED Gold

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of its environmentally conscious design, including a beautiful, undulating green roof, Nashville's $598 million, 1.2-million-square-foot Music City Center has been awarded LEED Gold certification for New Construction by the U.S. Green Building Council.

This sustainable vision for Music City Center was the result of close collaboration between Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, architecture firms tvsdesign/Tuck-Hinton Architects/Moody Nolan, Inc. and the construction team of Bell/Clark/Harmony.

"It has become more critical than ever to be mindful of our impact on the environment, especially in a place as beautiful as the hills of Tennessee," said Kevin Gordon, principal with tvsdesign. "We were fortunate to partner with teams who shared our passion for creating healthy places, and this allowed us to go above and beyond in minimizing this project's footprint."

Music City Center will consume 20 percent less energy than conventionally designed facilities of the same type, thanks to features that led to LEED Gold certification. These include a 175,000-square-foot green roof (the largest in the Southeast), technologically advanced lighting, and a 360,000-gallon rainwater harvest and recycling system (as part of a water management strategy that reduces the facility's overall water usage by 40 percent).

Composed of 14 types of vegetation, the 4-acre green roof reduces energy consumption by insulating the facility, helping to stabilize its climate. Water harvested from the roof is used in the more than 500 low-flow fixtures in the facility and to irrigate the outdoor landscaping. Inside Music City Center, energy-conserving LED lighting is equipped with occupancy and photo sensors as well as dimmable ballasts – of particular significance because lighting typically represents up to 30 percent of a facility's energy costs.

Environmentally sensitive design has proven to be good business: Music City Center has hosted more than 250 events, attracted 300,000 attendees and had a more than $125 million economic impact since opening in May 2013. The facility also catalyzed more than $1 billion in new development in Nashville's burgeoning SoBro neighborhood. In addition to LEED Gold certification, Music City Center has earned a number of awards, including the Merit Award from the Middle Tennessee chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for its design.

For more information on Music City Center's sustainability measures, visit nashvillemusiccitycenter.com/leed.

For photos of Music City Center, visit http://bit.ly/tvsmccgrn

About tvsdesign
tvsdesign is a firm of architects and designers that creates landmark buildings and signature spaces around the world. With offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dubai and Shanghai, tvsdesign works alongside clients worldwide to create inspired, well thought-out designs that are an engaging expression of the client's brand. Recognized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2002 with its prestigious Firm Award, tvsdesign's process enables its team to imagine more for clients. Award-winning projects range from convention centers to aquariums, mixed-use destinations to hospitals, stadiums to government offices, financial institutions to retail showcases. From seeing the real potential in a project to finding smart solutions to complex design challenges, tvsdesign is a true partner. Collectively, its studios' sustainable design experience encompasses 31 LEED Certified and 14 LEED registered projects. For more information, visit tvsdesign.com

SOURCE tvsdesign