HUB - Cira Centre

This conference center and office space is an 11,200 square foot commercial space on the 2nd floor of the Cira Centre. Brandywine Realty Trust developed the land at the Cira Centre as Amtrak focused on improving rail traffic and increasing its commercial retail holdings. The HUB – Cira Centre occupies a portion of the 2nd floor of the Cira Centre. The conference space is located within the Cira Centre, a commercial building connected to Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, at 30th and Arch Streets. The building is within Philadelphia’s University City district, near Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania. This building was completed in July 2005 with 29 floors. HUB Cira Centre is a conference center managed by The HUB, LLC. HUB provides global meeting services and conference centers. The HUB offers the only privately leased LEED Silver Rated Meeting & Event Facility in the nation. The HUB also embraces environmental responsibility with its sustainable business model. The space was designed to minimize energy use and maximize natural elements. The HUB Cira Centre focuses on recycled resources, local materials, efficient heating & cooling systems, as well as maximizing daylight and other energy efficient measures. Materials, such as the flooring, paints, and furniture are designed to be low-emitting, recycled, and local. Organic cleaning products are used throughout the facility. Energy Star appliances were installed throughout the space. Lighting and temperature control are offered in each conference center, with flexible and individual settings. The HVAC system was designed to be very efficient, improving the indoor environmental air quality. The HUB Cira Centre also is 100% wind powered through an alternative energy contract with Community Energy. Water use is reduced through low-flow toilets and automatic sinks. The project is part of a greater development at the Cira Centre in connection with Amtrak and the Philadelphia 30th Street Station. The HUB signed a long term contract at the Cira Centre and intends to remain in the space for at least 10 years, which eliminates the need for future renovation resources and waste. Since The HUB already focused on green practices in its sustainable business model, effort was put into designing a space that would enhance their practices. The HUB was able to work cooperatively with the Cira Centre to achieve its core energy efficiency and sustainable design. The HUB Cira Centre offers great connection to public transportation. The site is connected to Amtrak rail lines; SEPTA buses, trolleys, and subways; as well as the LUCY bus loop. The HUB utilizes this community connectivity to optimize their ability to use non-automobile, carbon-neutral transportation options. The site is in an urban, high-density area with connections to downtown Center City as well as Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania in University City. The HUB encourages workers and clients to use the public transportation connected to the site. In addition, the HUB operates a bus loop down to Center City, which facilitates workers and clients’ access to the site and reduces vehicular usage. Bikes could be stored in the offices of the employees. The Cira Centre also offers bicycle storage and changing rooms. The company also utilizes Philly Car Share for its transport between their multiple sites. Conveniently located near the Schuylkill River, the office offers great opportunities for daylight and ventilation optimization. The site is also on brownfield space. This development, redeveloped land occupied by the Amtrak rail yard. With its high-density area and community connectivity, HUB Cira Centre offers a great model of sustainable building practices. In addition, the Cira Centre employs its design with a steep sloped roof. The roof is light in color to minimize urban heat island effects and to reduce excess heat within the city, site, and building spaces. The HUB selected more than 80% EPA Energy Star rated appliances and equipment. The plumbing was designed for low-flow toilets and urinals with automatic sinks and fixtures. The HUB uses water efficient fixtures that save almost 100,000 gallons of water per year over standard plumbing fixtures or over a 20% water use reduction. The design of the HUB Cira Centre space considered energy efficiency as a fundamental portion of their sustainable business model, in efforts to promote green practices as well as to lower costs and waste. Every space is fitted with lighting fixtures that use energy efficient LED bulbs. Each conference room is also fitted with flexible and individual controls for the lighting as well as the temperature control. The company also manages light usage and monitors the conference rooms to reduce lights necessary. The space maximizes the daylight provided by external light. Views are provided of the Schuylkill River and the surrounding city in a maximum amount of rooms. The daylight is brought into over 75% of spaces. HUB Cira Centre also maximizes daylight in interior offices, by incorporating interior windows as the walls of the space as well as highly reflective light flooring, which carries the natural sunlight further into the building. The HUB Cira Centre uses more than 80% Energy Star appliances for office and kitchen equipment, which reduces its overall energy requirements. The HVAC system is also highly energy efficient to be the most cost effective. The HUB uses measurement and payment accountability for its energy use. The office meters its energy consumption in order to pay the building for the actual amount of energy used. The HUB Cira Centre also utilizes an alternative energy contract through Community Energy to make the space 100% wind powered, which greatly reduces carbon emissions. Materials were chosen with emphasis on source of manufacturing, recycled content, and other sustainable features such as low-emissions materials. The materials selected are utilized in furniture, flooring, paint, and other elements. Sustainable materials in the HUB Cira Centre utilize 15% of post-consumer products. In addition, over 20% of materials are regional, manufactured within 500 miles, with most coming from within a 150-mile radius. The company maximizes recycling in order to reduce waste. One of their sustainable business practices was to eliminate plastic water bottles replacing them with water pitchers. Clients are charged extra for the use of water bottles. When water bottles are used, glass water bottles are used which were produced locally from Saratoga Springs. The HUB Cira Centre placed a specific emphasis on indoor environmental quality. The HUB was built to circulate healthier air, improving comfort and health of workers and clients. The space was constructed without the use of volatile organic compounds or VOCs. Materials were chosen to be low-emitting. Low-emitting materials include adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, carpet systems, systems furniture, and seating. The space maintains a high indoor air quality performance and monitored indoor air quality management during construction. The space monitors outdoor air delivery and monitors environmental tobacco smoke as well as indoor chemical and pollutant source control. The space is comfortable with 75% percent of the space lit with daylight, as well as individual and flexible features for lighting, temperature, and ventilation control. The HVAC system allows the HUB Cira Centre to monitor usage and to maintain high indoor air quality and thermal comfort. The HVAC system is incorporated into the design element with a feature called an undulating ceiling. The wave in the ceiling hides the system, while maximizing user space, reducing noise, and making the space more efficient.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104

11200ft.