LEED GOLD: Guided by a Bigger Purpose

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class approaches and practices. LEED certified buildings save resources and have a positive impact on the health of occupants, while promoting renewable, clean energy.“Building a LEED corporate office was a natural fit with our mission,” stated Teresa Miller, Vice President, Human Resources. “We have a passion for health and wellness, and wanted to extend that philosophy into building a healthy environment for the employees.”Building features include the use of recycled and regionally resourced materials; low VOC materials, including Greenguard Certified Furniture and Furnishings; low flow plumbing fixtures; efficient lighting fixtures; optimal building ventilation; ENERGY STAR® equipment and appliances; heating and cooling provided by high-efficiency water source heat pumps; and use of non-toxic green cleaning methods.[vc_column_text]The building itself is also located near several basic services, which allows employees to access local amenities during their lunch breaks, helping to reducing their environmental impact.Brian Ray, President, shares,“In our industry, we are always looking to come up with innovative, original and sustainable ideas, so it was vital we take that same approach for our office space. We made the commitment to do everything in our power to achieve the GOLD standard, and I’m proud we were able to achieve it.”“One of my favorite features is our Living Wall,” Felix Rosa, Office Coordinator, points out. “Everyone knows live plants provide health benefits and reduce toxins; and ours is so cool because it spells GoL on the wall!”The plants used to create the Living Wall are locally grown varieties and eco-friendly in that they favor low water and low light. The wall not only creates a “wow” factor, but it’s also a system that improves indoor air quality and increases creativity and sustainability.