Trane
Crosstown Concourse, Memphis, Tenn.

Trane Honors Memphis Development with Energy Efficiency Leader Award

Oct. 12, 2017
Award recognizes collaborative effort to revitalize historic community building with energy management solutions.

Indoor comfort services provider Trane, a brand of Ingersoll Rand, presented the Energy Efficiency Leader Award Oct. 9 to Crosstown Concourse, Memphis, Tenn. The award recognizes the developers’ outstanding commitment to best practices in energy efficiency and sustainability for the retrofit of a once-vacant 90-year-old former Sears building that is not only revitalizing the community around it but reducing operational costs.

Crosstown Concourse was selected as one of just three projects to receive the award in 2017. It is home to a collective of commercial, residential and retail partners including restaurants, health clinics, a charter high school, a contemporary art center, commercial offices and 265 residences. The driving force behind the project was the creation of a vertical urban village while improving operational sustainability and the financial performance of one of Memphis' most iconic properties.

Felix Wilson, vice president at Trane, presented the award to the five companies who had a hand in the redevelopment project: Commercial Advisors|Cushman & Wakefield, Crosstown Arts, Kemmons Wilson Cos., Looney Ricks Kiss and OGCB Inc.

The companies worked together to provide solutions to help the development achieve greater efficiency, showcase sustainability, enhance comfort, improve tenant productivity and increase asset potential through the use of intelligent technology. Trane’s HVAC systems and energy management solutions provide valuable data and insight that can be accessed from the building and used as a catalyst for new levels of efficiency.

By implementing smart design practices and energy-efficient systems, these collaborative efforts are expected to save more than $1.6 million in operating costs over the next 25 years. There have been realized capital cost savings of more than $250,000 — the equivalent to the electricity usage of 67 homes for one year or 432,000 trees being saved.

“Crosstown Concourse represents the leadership in energy efficiency and sustainability that we recognize annually with the Energy Efficiency Leader Award,” Wilson said. “By taking on what seemed to be an impossible task, the development underscores the impact that smart properties have in not only providing long-term environmental, financial and facility benefits to those who live and work in the building, but the broader impact on Memphis and their commitment to communities.”

As a part of the ceremony, Trane hosted a roundtable discussion with business leaders from Commercial Advisors | Cushman & Wakefield, Crosstown Arts, Kemmons Wilson Cos., Looney Ricks Kiss and OGCB Inc. The panelists, moderated by Commercial Appeal President Michael Jung, discussed the vision for the community redevelopment initiative, the unique challenges of the project and best practices for successfully implementing energy efficiency and sustainability when retrofitting older buildings of this size.

"Crosstown Concourse is a project we are very proud to be a part of; it exemplifies how partnerships can impact the sustainability efforts of an entire city, in this case Memphis,” said Dan Chancey, senior vice president of asset management at Commercial Advisors.

Each year, Ingersoll Rand and its family of brands — including Club Car, Ingersoll Rand, Thermo King and Trane — recognize organizations that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to implementing best practices in energy efficiency and sustainability.