This spring there seems to be no shortage of new buildings being hailed as the nation’s first LEED Platinum in a given project category. Building Design and Construction (BDC) magazine reports on the first high-rise condo and museum to gain that status.
The Casey, luxury condominiums in Portland, Oregon, achieved all 55 LEED credits requested by the project developer Gerding Edlen Development – exceeding the minimum of 52 necessary for LEED Platinum. Located in the city’s Pearl District, the 16-story tower was designed by GBD Architects. In “Portland's Casey is the nation's first LEED platinum high-rise condominiums”, BDC summarized its green features:
“The building incorporates a comprehensive array of sustainable design principles, including reduced usage of fossil fuels; sustainable, regional, renewable and low-VOC materials; water-efficient fixtures and appliances; glazing to reduce glare and heat gain; an eco-roof for storm water management and to reduce the heat island effect; efficient mechanical equipment; a solar PV system to provide renewable energy to the building; and ERVs (Energy Recovery Ventilators) in each unit that recover exhausted (waste) heat and use it to preheat incoming fresh air. These features significantly reduce the building’s environmental impact and are expected to achieve a 52 percent energy savings over a code-compliant building.”
LEED Platinum was also recently awarded to the Water + Life Museums in Hemet, California (Riverside County). This 17-acre campus of buildings includes the Center for Water Education and the Western Center for Archeology and Paleontology. With design and construction by Lehrer + Gangi Design + Build, this $40-million project features indoor and outdoor spaces within a framework of “airy floor plans and abundant natural light”.
According to BDC’s “Desert complex is first LEED Platinum museum”:
“’The museums are topped by one of the largest solar-panel installations of its kind,’ said Mark Gangi, AIA, principal, explaining the 540-watt, 3000-panel photovoltaic installation that provides the complex with nearly half of its total power needs. The solar panels also shade the roof from desert sun, while special translucent panes provide dappled light to outdoor loggias.Other green elements include translucent banners that hang across 8,000 square feet of deeply recessed, east-facing glass to both identify the museums as well as mitigate the desert sun. Thanks to heat-blocking glass, the windows also let in abundant natural light, minimizing artificial lighting needs. Interior lighting, when needed, is controlled by a network of electronic sensing devices and timers that optimize daylight harvesting. Heating and cooling are conducted through a sophisticated mechanical system of radiant flooring and forced air units.”
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