commentTexas 2010 rank: No. 13
Green rank: 12
Bartlett Cocke General Contractors in San Antonio built green before sustainability began gaining in popularity. It completed the Lady Byrd Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin in the 1990s, paying careful attention not to disturb natural flowers and fauna. The company made a commitment to protecting the environment then, and it maintains it to this day.
“If you don’t take a sustainable approach to building, it cannot last,” says Kirk Kistner, vice president of marketing and business development at Bartlett Cocke. “We have to be more sustainable in our whole approach to building, so we can continue to build throughout the future.”
The firm employs 14 LEED-accredited professionals, and 20 more members of the team are working toward earning that distinction. The company works extensively in the education, institutional, health care and public markets. Most projects include a sustainable component.
Bartlett Cocke is building the $20-million Texas A&M University Veterinary Research Building at College Station, aiming for LEED-gold certification. The project, designed by Overland Partners of San Antonio, includes 27,000 sq ft of new construction and a 48,000-sq-ft renovation. Bartlett Cocke upgraded the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
“Having people on your staff that are LEED-AP or Green Associate helps you,” Kistner says. “And having completed projects that were constructed LEED certifiable helps you. You gain a competitive advantage.”
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