A cooperative effort between the city and the state will nearly triple the size of the Phoenix Convention Center, including 872,000 square feet of rentable space.

The four-level phase one, which will open in July, was designed by HOK Venue/Leo A. Daly/van Dijk Westlake Reed Leskosky.

Phase two of the project will also be four levels and will replace the existing North Building. It will connect with phase one both underground and via a skybridge. Designed by HOK Venue and Smith Group, the second phase should be complete by 2008 and ready for events by 2009.

Throughout the planning, the city and its construction team stressed environmentally friendly technology and building procedures. Scott Sumners, deputy director of the Phoenix Convention Center, describes green techniques and technologies in the article. Strategies included recycling construction waste and using local materials whenever possible. A building management system was part of the design.

"We built an energy recovery system into the HVAC system essentially, evaporative precoolers on the front end of the air conditioners to reduce the need to cool the hot summer air with conventional cooling," he said. "We used native, low-water-use plant materials throughout the site. We included dual-flush toilets as part of the design, which will substantially reduce our water consumption."

There also is a recycling program in the existing building that will continue in the new building, Sumners said. "We will implement a robust education program to let visitors know about the green building aspects of our project," he added. "We will be using environmentally sensitive cleaning agents in the operation and maintenance of our building."

The exterior design includes desert shade trees, covered walkways, overhanging trellises, and shade canopies to protect pedestrians from the sun.

The building will save an estimated 1,325,000 kWh per year due to energy-efficient design and technology,

Source: "$600 Million of Green; Phoenix Convention Center Expands," Southwest Contractor, June 2006, by David M. Brown.