July 30, 2008

Phoenix Service Center Receives City’s First ‘Gold’ Certification by U.S. Green Building Council

The city of Phoenix Glenrosa Service Center has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The Service Center, which houses multiple city departmental operations for the city’s west side, is owned and maintained by the Public Works Department.

Phoenix’ first LEED Gold designated building was designed with environmental sustainability in mind, including low energy and water use fixtures and high use of recycled content materials. Other sustainable features include use of wood from responsibly managed forests, non-toxic carpet and paint, energy saving day-lighting/ sensor controlled fixtures, native drought resistant vegetation, water-efficient and motion-controlled lavatory fixtures, dual-pane windows, under-floor (think bottom up) air distribution system, and a heat reflecting roof.

“It is most befitting that the city’s first LEED Gold Certification would be for a Public Works Department facility,” said Carolyn Bristo, Assistant Public Works Director. “The Public Works Department has been a national leader in Energy Management and Sustainability for over 25 years” added Bristo. The Department’s long-standing voluntary single-stream recycling collection program, voluntary plastic bag recycling efforts, and the downtown district cooling system for city buildings, have received local and national recognition. Phoenix has realized over $80 million in cost avoidance since the Energy Management Program was established in the early 1980s.

The Glenrosa Service Center follows other successful LEED Certified projects over the last four years, including the Phoenix Convention Center’s LEED Sliver designation in May 2008. To date, five city buildings have received LEED designations. Phoenix City Council policy requires that new city buildings built with 2006 bond funds be constructed to LEED level standards.

USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification system is a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance, resource-conserving buildings.

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