Renewable Choice Energy

Heifer Int’l Honored For Responsible Land Use

sustainable-business icon by Megan Brown on 05/08/2009


Heifer gets recognized by the Urban Land Institute.

Heifer Building Renewable Energy PurchaseHeifer International is a non-profit that is working hard to alleviate hunger and poverty by providing gifts of food and income producing farm animals. Have you ever received a card that says for example, chickens or bees have been given to a family in your name? If so, you have probably come in contact with Heifer International.

Recently Heifer International was recognized by the Urban Land Institute, for its responsible land use and its new LEED platinum-certified headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas. The project was build on Arkansas’ largest Brownfield reclamation site and has named one of 10, 2009 Awards for Excellence by the Urban Land Institute. 

This award is given to recognize an organization’s full development process for its project. This includes honoring leadership, community contribution, public-private partnership, environmental protection, response to societal needs, financial viability and more.  The new headquarters is an impressive building that touts many progressive and interesting sustainability features and corresponding savings. To start with, it will use 52% less energy than a comparable conventional office building. Other notable green facets of the project include:

  • A permeable surface for the parking area that allows rainwater to be collected in a constructed wetlands
  • Sourcing a majority of the building materials from within a 250-mile radius of the construction site
  • A modular raised floor system to create maximum economy for heating and cooling the building, and lower costs for servicing its mechanical systems
  • Purchased green power from Renewable Choice

To find out more about Heifer International, its new LEED certified building or to see Heifer featured on the Colbert Report, go to its website.  

Megan Brown, Client Relations ManagerPERSONALLY SPEAKING

I support this organization annually and it is great to see it is helping support progressive building designs in addition to incredible non-profit work.  ~ Megan

Megan Brown is the Client Relations Manager at Renewable Choice.