Hicks Ventures plans timber office building 

Houston-based developer has net-zero carbon emissions goal

Hicks Ventures' Patrick Hicks with rendering of Framework at Block 10
Hicks Ventures' Patrick Hicks with rendering of Framework at Block 10 (Hicks Ventures, Getty)

Hicks Ventures is the latest developer to take an environmentally focused approach to new projects.

Patrick Hicks’ Houston-based company expects to break ground later this year on Framework @ Block 10, a six-story, 200,000-square-foot office building at 10496 Old Katy Road in West Houston, which Hicks promises will be one of the most sustainable properties in the city, the Houston Business Journal reported. The firm anticipates the project will be completed in late 2024.

The building will be constructed with mass timber, meaning solid wood panels will serve as the foundation of the structure. Designed by San Francisco-based Gensler, Framework @ Block 10 started with the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions and net-zero operational energy use.

“Our goal was to create something unlike anything Houston has seen before,” Hicks told the outlet. “We’ve seen how great mass timber can be when used properly, so we thought why not take the building all the way and make it truly sustainable.”

Canadian firm StructureCraft, which has been at the helm of over $5 billion worth of mass-timber developments, will serve as the architect.

Other sustainable elements include indoor air quality and ventilation sensors, underfloor air distribution, a rainwater harvesting cistern and solar panels covering the roof. There will also be an accessible dashboard allowing tenants to monitor the building’s energy consumption in real time, the outlet said.

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Not only does Hicks aim to create an environmentally friendly building, but he also believes it will help reverse the work-from-home trend and bring employees back to the office, particularly younger workers who increasingly value green initiatives.

“No building owner can achieve net zero all on their own,” Hicks said. “But you can do it when tenants are on board with you.”

Hicks believes sustainable developments are the future of construction, and several Texas developers are investing in it. 

Crow Holdings recently embarked on a seven-story, 242,000-square-foot office project in Frisco, also built with timber. Houston-based Hines recently launched a new unit to ensure environmental factors are considered, and it has a net-zero carbon emissions goal as well.

—Quinn Donoghue

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