Chicago - The Chicago Center for Green Technology (CCGT) was awarded a Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The CCGT is only the third building in the country to receive this prestigious certification, and is the first renovated structure and government owned building to earn this rating. The announcement was made during the 2003 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, held Nov. 11 to 14 in Pittsburgh.

"The City of Chicago joins an ever-growing list of states and municipalities who recognize that smart building improves the economic and environmental health for the region and its citizens," said Christine Ervin, president and CEO of the USGBC. "The achievement of LEED Platinum is quite a noteworthy accomplishment that serves as a model to the industry and community at large."

The LEED Green Building Rating System is a widely used and accepted standard for certifying health, smart and green buildings in the United States. Buildings submitted for a rating (Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum) must meet rigorous criteria in the areas of: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, indoor environmental quality, materials and resources, and innovation in design.

"This award is truly an honor and a tribute to the hard work and dedication of many people to transform the Chicago Center for Green Technology from a vision to a reality," said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. "In Chicago, we are committed to improving the quality of life for our residents by incorporating greening initiatives that are good for the environment but also make our city a pleasant place to live, work and raise a family."

The Chicago Center for Green Technology, 445 N. Sacramento Blvd., is a former brownfield site that has been transformed into a model for sustainable design. The Center is home to the Green Building Resource Center, a library of green building materials for professionals and residents which is open to the public; Greencorps Chicago, an urban landscape job training program administered by the City of Chicago; a state of the art production facility for photovoltaic solar panels, and offices of Spire Solar Chicago; the headquarters for WRD Environmental, a landscape design and construction firm; and offices of the Chicago Chapter of the USGBC.

Some of the environmental features of the Chicago Center for Green Technology include a ground source heating and cooling system that draws from the earth's constant temperature of approximately 54 degrees; solar panels for electricity, on the roof, as awnings for windows with a southern exposure, and on a ground level solar berm. It is anticipated that the facility will save approximately $29,000 annually in energy costs through the use of these features.

The building features extensive use of recycled materials and low-VOC emitting paints and sealants; a rooftop garden; bioswales that incorporate extensive use of native plants and rainwater cisterns to more efficiently manage rainwater usage; and smart lighting systems which sense the amount of natural light and increase or decrease intensity depending on need, and lights that automatically turn-off when there is no movement in a conference room.

"We are gratified by the LEED Platinum certification and the recognition of our efforts to transform the Chicago Center for Green Technology into a model of sustainable design as a resource for both the community and "green" industry professionals," said Chicago Environment Commissioner Marcia JimÇnez.

In addition to the Department of Environment, team members instrumental in the design construction and operation of the center included Farr and Associates, The American Institute of Architects (AIA), Chicago's Environmental Fund, the Public Building Commission (PBC) and the Chicago Departments of General Services and Planning & Development.

"LEED initiatives have become standard for most of our current construction," states PBC Executive Director Kevin Gujral. The Phillip Merrill Environmental Center in Annapolis, Md., and the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California-Santa Barbara, are the two buildings that have previously been designated LEED Platinum by the USGBC.