LEED Green Power for Green Circle Center

One exciting project that is currently pursuing LEED-CS at the Platinum level is the Green Circle Shopping Center. According to the website set up for the project, it “employs the latest technology, strategies and materials for ensuring sustainable design.” One such technology invested in by the project was renewable energy credits (RECs).

The project stands at 18,000 square feet, and is designed to preserve and feature as much green space as possible. It utilizes “the latest in green building techniques such as porous concrete pavement, below-ground retention, a roof-top garden, and more.” The interior of the building has been designed to take green practices just as far, including “geothermal heating, ventilation, HVAC, high-efficiency windows, recycled products, occupancy lighting controls and daylight harvesting.”

The roof of the building offers the most intriguing design decisions, featuring Energy Recovery Ventilation Units (which maximize on heating and cooling the building by tapping the energy spent by the exhausting building air), a Solar Reflective Index (that is composed of lighter-colored materials so as to reduce the amount of the sun’s heat that is absorbed – which reduces the Heat Island Effect), recycled steel content on the roof (95% of the total steel used was from recycled content), as well as space that is reserved for future solar PV. Roughly 10,000 square feet of the roof is covered in native adapted plants and prairie grasses, and features a tree. This design feature reduces the amount of the sun’s rays that are absorbed by the roof, prevents damage to the roof membrane, and absorbs rain water run-off. Not to mention it is probably a charming area to spend your lunch break.

For more information, please visit Green Circle’s website.

Green Circle is led by the O’Reilly Family, with architecture by Hufft L.L.C., engineering and civil/site design by Olsson Associates, and contractor services by Supermarket Builders.

PERSONALLY SPEAKING

LEED Platinum – the pinnacle of green building certifications. What a fantastic project. If only more of us had roof-top gardens! ~ Matt

Matt Kiszka is the LEED and Greenbuilding initiatives project manager for Renewable Choice