December 17, 2001—Pennsylvania was recently recognized as the first state in the nation to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold Standard, set by the US Green Building Council, for its state office in Cambria County.
During its first eight months of operation, energy bills at the Cambria Office were less than half the average cost per square foot compared with offices in the northeastern United States. The 34,500-square-foot building not only is energy efficient, it was built with environmentally friendly materials and technology. It combines ground-source heating and cooling with a raised-access flooring system and a high-performance thermal envelope.
In October, the Governor’s Green Government Council (GGGC) released the fourth annual “Green Plan,” which highlights pollution-prevention and energy conservation projects from state agencies and commissions. The 96-page report presents plans from state agencies focusing on land-use issues, paper reduction, energy-efficiency improvements, and recycling. Created in 1998, GGGC consists of state cabinet secretaries and representatives from thirty-eight state agencies and commissions.
For more information, contact GGGC or the US Green Building Council.
