The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. The Center for Urban Waters was certified in May 2012 as a LEED Platinum® project (the highest rating possible).
The Center was designed with the following five environmental categories in mind:
Encourages building commissioning; efficient appliances, systems and lighting; and the use of clean, renewable energy.
Encourages the selection of sustainably grown, harvested, produced, and transported materials. Promotes reuse, recycling, and waste reduction.
Promotes strategies that improve indoor air quality and provide access to views and natural light.
Minimizes a building’s impact on ecosystems; encourages native landscaping and smart transportation choices; controls stormwater runoff; and reduces erosion, light pollution and the heat island effect.
Encourages smarter use of water through the use of efficient appliances and fixtures and water-wise landscaping.