TRITEC Building Company begins construction on 30,000 s/f LEED project in Setauket

TRITEC Building Company is beginning construction on their first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified office building. The project is being constructed for Stafford Associates Computer Specialists, Inc., a Setauket-based woman-owned, full service web and computer technology company. The project is a new 30,000 s/f headquarters facility, on a 3.7 acre parcel, that has frontage on both Rte. 25A and on Bennett's Rd. TRITEC has been working with the profes­sional design team comprised of Robert A.W. Heins, A.I.A., Architect, EMTEC Consulting Engineers, Avitz Engineering, and Peter Carradonna LEED AP since the preconstruction process began in 2006. During preconstruction, using Charrette in conjunction with the design team, TRITEC was able to assess and measure the cost impact that each level of LEED certification would impart on the project budget. Dolores Stafford, CEO of Stafford Associates said, "Initially we were unsure of the cost effectiveness of using preconstruction and valued engineering. In the past months of working closely with TRITEC, however, we have found that it was money well spent. TRITEC has met and exceeded all our require­ments for a construction management company by bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. In addition, they are members of Setauket, and are highly regarded here for their work and strong commitment to preserving our local community and its environment. That combination of qualities has made using TRITEC invaluable to us in making our building a reality." The new building replaces an existing facility currently located in Setauket, and will provide Stafford with their architectural information technology facility, creating room for expansion and tenants, and visually blending into the Historic District area of Setauket. Both Stafford Associates and TRITEC are members of the Setauket community and the greater community of Long Island. The benefits of building the project to LEED standards are clear; buildings fundamentally impact the lives of the people in the surrounding community and the health of the entire planet. While recognizing that buildings are a necessity to sustain the economic environment on Long Island, buildings use one-third of our total energy, two-thirds of our electricity, one-eighth of our water, and transform land that pro­vides valuable ecological resources. This facility will have a positive impact on not only the economic environment, but also addresses the public health and well-being, and serves as a standard that build­ing owners should strive for. "Through Pre-Project Planning, TRITEC has investigated numerous types of construction systems, rec­ognized by the United States Green Building Council as having a measurable impact on a building's performance. These systems promote a whole building approach to sustainability, but also impact how a building needs to be designed and constructed, to obtain LEED certification. TRITEC has been con­centrating its efforts on assuring that all project components, from design team to agency approvals to documentation tracking, have been complied with to allow compliance with certification procedures, while focusing on and maintaining project budget and cost. We are extremely happy to have the project entering the construction phase and we look forward to the results of the entire teams efforts," said Martin DePasquale, AIA, vice president of preconstruction services for TRITEC. The construction is anticipated to take 10 months and will be completed in October. TRITEC Building Company is a full service project delivery construction firm, which has been provid­ing construction management services to both the public and private sectors, in the Tri-state area, since 1986.