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  The workplace, oh, how it's changed. No longer faceless or nameless, office facilities are connecting with occupants and going green in ways unheard of a few short years ago. The importance of brand -- and a consumer's emotional connection to it -- is not just the purview of retailers. Now brand equity comes in all commercial shapes and sizes; finding the right fit is tantamount to realizing your business strategy or having no business at all. SME has been helping companies and property owners and developers find the right fit for over 40 years. Except our fit isn't measured in fabrics or finishes or furnishings. Our fit is measured in environmental compliance, sustainability, geotechnical innovation, construction materials quality, and facility asset management. The changing business climate is affecting the way lenders do business. Now lenders require more equity to approve construction loans. The good news is lenders consider brownfield funds as equity. Even better news, SME can help you secure that brownfield financing. In the last four years, we've helped owners and developers obtain over $80 million in brownfield funds. In Birmingham, Michigan, $1.3 million in brownfield tax incentives will help clean and remove an old abandoned gas station to make way for a beautiful 5-story “green” gateway building. In Hastings, Michigan, $1 million in tax increment financing (TIF) is turning a blighted corner into a booming mixed-use development. Creative financing including the use of brownfield funds made these projects economically viable. The Christman Company's headquarters in downtown Lansing is another example of sustainable redevelopment. SME was part of the construction team that brought the former Mutual Building, built in 1928, from functional obsolescence to a restored landmark. The building is the first to receive double platinum LEED certification. As operations and maintenance costs increase, many companies are consolidating their office holdings and looking for ways to reduce waste and their carbon imprint. SME can help you reduce real estate costs through the entire building cycle, from site acquisition and planning, through design and construction, to maintenance and restoration, and even redevelopment. We can LEED you to success with a range of sustainability design and construction services. We have a team of engineers and consultants who focus on the care and renovation of buildings and related structures. Specialty services encompasses property condition assessments, energy efficiency evaluations, constructability reviews, roof and pavement design, and restoration strategies. We'll also help you identify risks and unknowns during the project and offer other practical solutions to reduce costs and minimize delays. And we can address contamination or other hazardous buildings materials issues – as well as the impact of previous development. In today's office climate, it's hard enough to find tenants. You worry about the chairs and workstations and conference rooms and workplace technology. SME will take care of the other tough stuff you don't see. For more information contact an SME office near you. |
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© Copyright 2009 Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc.
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