Waikiki will soon be home to another green retail center.

Architectural firm Eight Inc. is designing 1944 Kalakaua, a two-story, 14,600-square-foot retail center next door to the former Local Motion building that now houses ING Direct.

It is a project for Malibu, Calif.-based developer American Commercial Equities LLC, which also owns the former Local Motion building next door.

In line with current trends, Eight is pursuing silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for the project. It is expected to use recycled building materials, an energy-efficient mechanical system, provide bicycle racks and an employee-changing room.

The roof also will be designed so developers can install a solar photovoltaic system.

The project, now in the design phase, should be completed in early 2010. When done, it is expected to offer two-story spaces for three tenants.

Sustainability is a key part of Eight's design philosophy as it completes both local and international projects, according to founding principal Tim Kobe.

With a staff of about 60 in offices in Honolulu, San Francisco and New York, Eight makes an effort to be on the cutting edge while also using sustainable principles. Being LEED-certified is a competitive advantage for retailers, according to Kobe, and also the responsible thing to do.

But it doesn't mean the design can't be creative. One of the growing trends today is to build stores where components can be broken down easily for recycling. The Apple store, one of Eight's clients, offers sleek, clean lines and pieces that can be taken apart for reuse.

Other previous projects by Eight include The VIP lounge for Virgin Atlantic, retail stores for Coach, and the Hard Rock Cafe retail center at 280 Beach Walk, another project pursuing LEED certification.

Eight also designed two other Kalakaua Avenue projects - 2100 Kalakaua (better known as Luxury Row) and King Kalakaua Plaza.

Eight also has projects in Costa Rica, Hong Kong and Japan.

One of the Honolulu projects Eight considers most cutting edge in sustainability is the Malama Learning Center at Kapolei High School, which incorporates a garden on its rooftop for native Hawaiian plants.

Honolulu-based principal Mark Little said it's possible to take a modern, innovative approach to a project while remaining appropriate to the culture. The Malama Learning Center is an example.

Kobe says Hawaii is a leader in its support of green practices, but also could offer more innovative design.

“;There are opportunities to innovate here,”; he said, “;but it's up to designers and architects to come up with innovative ideas instead of using the same, formulaic approach.”;

Kobe, an admirer of the late Hawaii architect Vladimir Ossipoff, believes in designing projects that use Hawaii's natural light and tradewinds to their advantage.

Kobe also supports giving LEED-certified projects a faster track through the city's permitting process.

At 1944 Kalakaua, which is at the gateway to Waikiki, pedestrians will be able to stroll past a garden that buffers it from the street. On one side of the retail center, a bamboo cladding pattern will help filter natural light, softening its look. A monkeypod tree at the site is also being preserved.

American Commercial bought the site, previously home to a car rental lot, in July 2008 for $6.5 million, according to property records.

CB Richard Ellis is leasing the project.