SAVING ENERGY FOR AN ENERGY COMPANY

"The most satisfying part? Taking a candidate for the wrecking ball and turning it into a showpiece of architectural design, incorporating environmental and sustainable design techniques with leading-edge energy technology." Kevin Harden

A landmark structure when completed in 1888, and again today following a recent, massive renovation, downtown Kansas City's neo-Romanesque 20 West Ninth Building claims several firsts for the city: first steel-framed structure, first skyscraper, first building with elevators. But the building had fallen on hard times in recent years, until a new owner brought back its original luster.

Today, the 200,000-square foot, masonry structure, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, serves as a state-of-the-art headquarters for the international energy and services company, UtiliCorp United. Early on, UtiliCorp president Robert Green challenged the project team to create a building that would "showcase the company's environmental conscience."

As part of its restoration, 20 West Ninth received 1,116 new Pella^® windows. "Pella met our requirements," says architect Kevin Harden. "The local Pella distributor worked closely with Pella's Commercial Division to solve issues that came up" . It was Pella's glazing capability that won the job. "We did an extensive analysis of different kinds of glass that would give us the thermal efficiencies we wanted and would still look like original clear plate glass." Harden continues "Pella's Low-E argon-filled InsulShield^® glass met our requirements." The extensive use of perimeter windows brings abundant daylight into the building minimizing reliance on artificial light and saving energy.

Open only since early 1997, 20 West Ninth has already received numerous accolades including the Modernization Award grand prize from Buildings magazine, Reconstruction Project Award from Building Design & Construction, and National Preservation Honor Award  from National Trust for Historic Preservation.