Students at Hawaii Baptist Academy Middle School enjoy a unique learning environment not only because the school is one of the most beautiful in the world but also because is has earned one of the highest rankings in sustainability. Students and faculty know that their school is as good as gold.
Strengthening communities through the education and inspiration of its entrepreneurs, the Center for Entrepreneurial Education in Dayton, Ohio, founded by philanthropist Clay Mathile, quickly outgrew its rented facilities. It not only needed a new name but also a central campus that exemplified future-thinking best practices.
When Missoula Federal Credit Union decided to build a new branch, they wanted a building that embodied its commitment to social, environmental and economic improvements. “We have become the ‘green’ financial institution in our market,” says Joni Walker, senior vice president, of the LEED Platinum certified building, “and we’re proud to carry that moniker.”
More manufacturers are developing LEED guides to explain how a particular product fits with LEED standards. Yet oftentimes, these guides fail to incorporate key facts or strike a proper balance between technical language and accessible ideas. Learn some do’s and don’ts to developing your LEED guide.
Officials at Minnesota’s Great River Energy set out to develop the most efficient building possible -- a LEED Platinum building. “After all,” said Director Gary Connett, “we can’t ask our customers to use less energy unless we show them that it can be done ... without sacrificing beauty, functionality or practicality.”
The 2009 Georgia Tech women’s softball team has a new home. The 750+ seat Softball Complex was designed not only to provide a competitive advantage but also to advance the university’s sustainability initiatives. If awarded, it will be the first LEED certified softball field in the United States.
The nonprofit Girls Hope of Pittsburgh is an example where, although its new Girls Hope Dormitory, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph, did not register to become LEED certified, the organization, designers and construction team put a high value on making the new facility a healthy living environment and a model of good design.
Like many cities, downtown Louisville fell into disrepair as residents and businesses migrated to the suburbs. Today, thanks to the popularity of The Green Building, a 19th century warehouse modernized with 21st century green building techniques and technology, what was once a federally classified distressed area is becoming a burgeoning city center.
Informed decisions early in the design process are critical to achieving the highest levels of efficiency – a significant goal of LEED 2009. Sustainable design and analysis software technology, including building information modeling (BIM), provides opportunities to support the new credit weighting emphases on energy and emissions.
For 38 years, Greenpeace has been campaigning to safeguard the environment and neutralize global warming. When it came time to renovate a new office space in Washington, D.C., the deputy executive director of Greenpeace USA set out to make sure that the organization was “walking the talk.”
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