This initiative will bring public buildings up to new Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) equivalent retrofit standards. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system that provides third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies that improve performance in energy savings, water efficiency, greenhouse gas emission reduction, improved indoor environmental quality and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. This certification system as developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
The city of Phoenix adopted a policy in 2005 that, at a minimum, all new city buildings built with 2006 Bond Funds be constructed to LEED certified standards. Bond funds approved by voters in 2006 include a 2 percent cost to cover LEED-related design and construction costs. A steady increase in the number of city-owned green buildings as well as the number of LEED accredited professionals among city staff has resulted.
To date, 10 city buildings are either LEED Registered or LEED Certified. The following are examples:
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- Fire Station #50 - LEED "Certified" in 2004.
- Desert Broom Library - LEED "Certified" in 2006.
- Phoenix Convention Center/West Building - LEED "Silver" in 2008.
» More information about other city of Phoenix LEED projects