PATH's Seattle headquarters achieves LEED Gold certification
PATH's new Seattle headquarters has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings; certification is established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute.
LEED certification takes into account the use of energy, lighting, water, and materials, as well as the incorporation of a variety of other sustainable strategies. PATH’s headquarters has achieved 35 percent water reduction when compared to similar buildings, and 94 percent of the equipment and appliances in the space are energy efficient. Additionally, 28 percent of the materials used in the building project came from recycled sources, and low volatile organic compound materials were used whenever possible to keep toxins out of the work environment.
“With each new LEED-certified building, we get one step closer to USGBC’s vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO, and founding chair of USGBC. “As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, PATH is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement.”
PATH achieved the second-highest of the four levels of certification—certified, silver, gold, and platinum. PATH will receive a commemorative plaque from USGBC for display in our building.
“PATH is proud to receive LEED Gold certification on our new headquarters building in demonstration of our commitment to a cleaner environment and to the sustainability of limited natural resources,” said Doug Palm, director of global facilities at PATH. “I want to give special thanks to the members of PATH’s Green Team, members of the Seattle Headquarters Design Review Task Force, and other PATH staff who participated in the LEED work sessions in early June 2009. Their work and encouragement helped define the scope of PATH’s effort to achieve LEED Gold.”
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Posted October 13, 2010.