April 16, 2007—The Science & Technology Facility at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been designated the first LEED Platinum federal building by the US Green Buildings Council (USGBC) under its benchmark Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building program.
The 71,000-sqare-foot $22.7-million, state-of-the-art research building in Golden, Colorado, is one of only 28 buildings in the world that have achieved the LEED platinum designation. One of the 28—the Rocky Mountain Institute—is in Boulder, Colorado.
The multi-story building was designed to fit into the gently sloping side of a mesa, where care was taken to minimize disturbing the natural terrain and to conserve and manage water resources, says DOE. Architectural features such as daylighting, evaporative cooling, and efficient motors, fans, windows, and lighting reduce the building’s energy requirements, reportedly saving 41 percent in energy costs.
For more information, see the NREL Web site.
