Workstage continues its commitment to
building green

Grand Rapids, Mich. (June 9, 2006) - Workstage commenced the development of another LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, U.S. Green Building Council) project by breaking ground on Michigan State University Federal Credit Union’s new 170,000 square foot headquarters building in East Lansing, Michigan on June 8, 2006. Workstage is partnering with architectural firm, Daniels and Zermack, to deliver the 4-story facility slated to open in fall of 2007. This new building joins the millions of square feet of LEED projects and green buildings Workstage is developing nationally.

"It’s a commitment to our customers, the communities they live in, and our own families.” explains Jack Cottrell, president and CEO of Workstage. “Organizations from across the nation come to us because they recognize that we have significant expertise in LEED and green buildings and are passionate about it.”

The Credit Union bought into the concept that if you build right, real estate can drive business results. “We have this ‘strange’ management theory that if we provide a happy positive work environment, the staff will be happier, more positive and provide the [Credit Union’s] members with better service.” McPharlin explained at Thursday’s event.

	Cottrell does not think this is such a strange theory, he calls it visionary. “The nation’s leading organizations have come to the same conclusion as the Credit Union. With people costs outweighing building costs by ten-to-one, building a great place where great people want to work is just smart business.”
Jack Cottrell, President/CEO Workstage

To date, Workstage has developed green buildings for such notable organizations as Pfizer, PayPal, an eBay Company, Charter Communications, Detroit Public Schools, University of New Mexico, and AAA - Automobile Associations of America.

In 2003, the company completed the LEED® Gold Certified Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center for Grand Valley State University. It is one of the first commercial buildings in the world to use 100% of its energy needs from alternative sources.

In addition to the MAREC building, Workstage has nearly a million square feet of LEED projects completed and underway. The Workstage building for Royal Caribbean Cruises Customer Contact Center in Oregon received LEED Gold Certification in March of 2006. Other LEED projects underway are Metro Health Hospital Administration and Outpatient Building, Mortgage Lenders Network Headquarters, and many projects still under development including three schools in Hawaii.

	Patrick McPharlin, president and CEO of the Credit Union, described his reasons for choosing LEED system for the organization’s new home. “We felt this would pay dividends in the long run in many ways: reduce energy costs, prove that we are a corporate citizen friendly to the environment and doing the right thing.”
Patrick McPharlin, President/CEO MSU Federal Credit Union

LEED Certification is only part of Workstage’s offering. The company follows 4 simple guiding principles in its approach to designing and developing smarter buildings.

• People-centered - a great place to work with amenities and workspace that adapt to employee worklife
• Flexible - to accommodate growth and change
• Environment - to improve occupant health and reduce the impact on the environment
• Speed and Cost - doing the right thing means focusing on delivering these important investments quickly and on-budget

Cottrell and his team have taken Workstage from just ‘an idea’ 6 years ago to a nationally-recognized innovative real estate developer. The company is growing and continues its commitment to the environment by providing green buildings to its clients and implementing its own corporate environmental initiatives.

Contact Heather Buck, 888.409.6713