Press Releases alabama-association-of-realtors-dedicate-new-building
Dec 01, 2010
Montgomery, Ala.- The Alabama Association of REALTORS® (AAR) is proud to announce the dedication of its new building at its current location, 522 Washington Avenue. AAR began construction in August 2010 on what is expected to be the first Gold rated, LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building in the Montgomery area.
“AAR is proud to be a leader in this new innovative and technological design,” said Robert Scott, 2011 AAR president. “We are striving for the absolute best and look forward to serving our members in their new building.”
The two-story building contains more than 50 percent recycled material from the old building. At least 10 percent of the materials used in the building will be regional materials, meaning they have been extracted, harvested or manufactured close to Montgomery.
“This state of the art building is the result of years of planning, and our efforts to achieve LEED certification is an example of REALTORS® concern for the environment and energy efficiency,” said Keith Kelley, 2010 AAR president. “This will allow REALTORS® to better serve Alabamians trying to achieve the ‘American Dream’ of home ownership.”
The new headquarters features a rooftop meadow along with a high reflectance roof coating for areas not covered by vegetation. These two components work together to minimize the overall heat island effect on the building and contribute to a more comfortable micro-climate. To minimize light pollution, the new building is equipped with occupancy sensors at the interior and exterior lighting.
“I am proud for my REALTOR® friends statewide for having this magnificent building located on this prime piece of real estate,” said Governor Bob Riley. “I salute your leadership for their vision to construct Montgomery’s first LEED certified building. Congratulations for being first one more time in your long history of leading the way to make a difference.”
Every year, hundreds of fourth and fifth graders travel to the capital city to learn about Alabama’s history. The location of the AAR building is on the walking route between the Alabama State Archives building and the Civil Rights Memorial, providing the ideal opportunity for REALTORS® to play a part in these educational field trips. An artifact wall in front of the new building will allow children, Alabamians and tourists to see 67 special displays containing an object of importance from each county in the state. The display is scheduled for completion early next year.
“Today is a proud day for Alabama REALTORS®,” said Jimmy Grant, 2010 building committee chair. “We believe our building will serve as a model for others as they build in downtown Montgomery. It will serve our members for years to come.”
The Alabama Association of REALTORS® is the trade association for real estate professionals who work in the residential, commercial, property management, resort and appraisal markets.
To view pictures from the event, please visit our photo gallery.