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San Francisco, CA – The California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) announced today that it has been awarded LEED® Gold Certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
“We are very excited about creating this new green home office for CSPF in San Francisco,” says Elizabeth Goldstein, President of CSPF. “We are committed to living our values by doing our part to protect California and its environment. And, we’d like to thank our consultants who helped make this a reality: Huntsman Architectural Group, Kelley Project Services, and Pankow Special Projects.”
CSPF achieved LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.
“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 & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, the California State Parks Foundation is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement.”
LEED Certification of CSPF was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features include:
· Use the most environmentally sound materials throughout the office: carpets, paints, and sustainable materials in numerous locations, and conference tables of recycled wood from a nearby shop.
· Reuse and integration of furniture from previous office.
· Design to maximize the natural light throughout office.
· Waste materials from construction sorted to minimize addition to landfill.
· Motion detector light systems to reduce electricity use.
· Strict air quality testing.
· Accessibility to public transportation and policies that encourage their use.
U.S. Green Building Council
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 78 local affiliates, more than 20,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 100,000 LEED Accredited Professionals, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to soar to $60 billion by 2010. The USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.
LEED
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system is the preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. 35,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising over 5.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 91 countries. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.
The California State Parks Foundation
With our 115,000 members, the California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) is the only statewide independent nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting, enhancing and advocating for California’s magnificent state parks. Since 1969, CSPF has raised more than $150 million to benefit state parks. CSPF is committed to improving the quality of life for all Californians by expanding access to the natural beauty, rich culture and history, and recreational and educational opportunities offered by California’s 278 state parks—the largest state park system in the United States.
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