GREENSBORO, N.C., April 7, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE:SKT) is pleased to announce that Tanger Outlets at the Arches, Deer Park, New York has been certified as a LEED® (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design) Silver Core and Shell project by the U.S. Green Building Council a 501(c)(3) non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation.
Tanger Outlet Centers along with Blumenfeld Development, and Apollo Realty (together working as Deer Park Enterprises, LLC), are the proud developers of Tanger Outlets at the Arches, a 740,000 square foot retail/mixed use development, which opened in October 2008. The Center's developers, working with Adams + Associates Architecture (Mooresville, NC), Susan Blumenfeld (Design Consultant), Cameron Engineering & Associates LLP (Woodbury, NY), Aurora Construction (Ronkonkoma, NY), and the local municipality of Babylon Town, New York, were awarded a LEED Silver Core and Shell rating by USGBC for its 540,000 square feet of retail development, one of the largest retail centers in the country to achieve this designation. Tanger Outlets at the Arches was designed by Adams + Associates Architecture to enhance the customers' shopping experience and the tenants' quality of workplace life with its open covered walkways, pedestrian friendly shopping, and energy efficient buildings.
Steven B. Tanger, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc., commented "Over 150 million consumers each year visit Tanger Outlet Centers and spend, on average, nearly 2 hours shopping with their friends and family. The environment in which they shop has become more important to our customers and we are very proud of the certification achieved by Tanger Outlets at the Arches in Deer Park on Long Island. LEED certification is an extremely important element to strive for as we redevelop and revitalize our existing centers, such as our Hilton Head I redevelopment which when reopened in the second half of 2011 will be the only LEED certified shopping center in Beaufort County, SC. "
David Blumenfeld, Principle, Blumenfeld Development, stated, "From the first moment we began to consider its design we knew The Arches would incorporate the technology that would allow it to be a "green leader" on Long Island. It was always our intent to ensure that it would serve as an innovative example for the 2.7 million people who live in the region and who need to embrace green solutions in their own homes. It's also important to note that thanks to the public-private partnership of Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone we were able to move forward with a design that now allows us to celebrate this certification. He has been a strategic visionary in seeking new green solutions from business and government as we address 21st Century development plans."
"The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on nonsustainable and expensive sources of energy and threats to human health," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "The work of innovative building projects such as Tanger Outlets at the Arches is a fundamental driving force in the green building movement."
Helping the environment has become an important issue for millions of Americans. More and more families are now taking the steps necessary to try to make the world a better place to live, for themselves and their children. Tanger has also shown its commitment to the green movement through environmentally friendly programs such as the onsite recycling of tons of cardboard at its centers across the country. Cardboard comprises 80% of the refuse collected at Tanger shopping centers annually. Tanger has also taken steps to make the operational systems at its outlet centers as energy efficient as possible.
About Tanger Outlets at the Arches
Tanger Outlets at the Arches in Deer Park, New York is Long Island's newest lifestyle shopping, dining and entertainment attraction. Tanger shoppers can discover a collection of over 85 brand name and designer outlet stores offering current, upscale fashion trends including Neiman Marcus Last Call; Kate Spade, American Eagle Outfitters, Guess, Lucky Brand Jeans, , Old Navy, Gap Outlet, Ann Taylor Factory Store, Michael Kors, Kenneth Cole, Bally, J. Crew, Juicy Couture, Nike Factory Store, Timberland, US Polo, Christmas Tree Shops, Tommy Hilfiger Company Stores, among others. The Regal Cinemas at Tanger feature a 16-screen Cineplex, one of the few state-of-the-art digital Cineplexes on Long Island where patrons can enjoy both an IMAX and 3-D theatre entertainment experience. Located at the corner of Commack Road and Grand Boulevard in Deer Park, Tanger Outlets at the Arches lies in the geographic heart of Long Island, and some thirty five miles from Manhattan.
LEED certification of Tanger Outlets at the Arches was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features included:
- Redevelopment of a Brownfield (contaminated site)
- 90% tenant daylighting
- 40% water use reduction
- On-going recycling program
- 50% of construction debris from landfill diverted
- Use of recycled content and regional materials in construction
- Use of low emitting materials/certified wood
- Use of Public transportation
- Preferred parking for low-emitting vehicles
- High efficient HVAC systems
U.S. Green Building Council
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 78 local affiliates, more than 20,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 100,000 LEED Accredited Professionals, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to soar to $60 billion by 2010. The USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.
LEED
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED rating system is the preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. 35,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising over 5.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 91 countries. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.
About Tanger Factory Outlet Centers
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc., (NYSE:SKT), is a publicly-traded REIT headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina that presently operates and owns, or has an ownership interest in, a portfolio of 33 upscale outlet shopping centers in 22 states coast to coast, totaling approximately 10.2 million square feet leased to over 1,900 stores operated by 330 different brand name companies. More than 150 million shoppers visit Tanger Outlet Centers annually. For more information on Tanger Outlet Centers, call 1-800-4 TANGER or visit the company's web site at www.tangeroutlet.com.