Construction has begun on the new headquarters for Norwalk firm HMTX Industries, a global new materials flooring company. The four-story, 24,000 square-foot project is on track to become the greenest building in the state, with completion slated for 2022.
The new headquarters is situated just behind HMTX”™s current offices at 15 Oakwood Ave.
Shawmut Design and Construction, in partnership with McLennan Design and its founder Jason F. McLennan, are behind the project.
According to Shawmut, the new HMTX Industries World Headquarters is on track to become the first “Living Building Challenge Petal-Certified” project in Connecticut. HMTX Industries is also the first flooring company to pursue the Living Building Challenge, a 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 and producing zero carbon emissions.
The building is designed to be energy-positive with over 100% of its power demand coming from onsite 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% 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.
“What I like to refer to as our ”˜House Up on the Hill”™ will merge nature and sustainability with innovation and collaboration,” said HMTX CEO Harlan Stone. “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.”
“This is a monumental project for Connecticut, one that demonstrates the leading-edge possibilities within sustainable, green design,” said Shawmut Executive Vice President Kevin Sullivan.
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.
In addition to implementing EPA cleaning protocols with green cleaning products, the project includes 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 bird-watching 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.
