PALO ALTO , Calif. — The city council here is split over how to encourage the adoption of environmentally sustainable building practices for private projects.
The city currently only requires public projects of more than 10,000 square feet to meet LEED-certification standards. Several council members are pressing for a city ordinance that would require private construction projects to meet LEED standards.
WILDWOOD, Mo. — A new campus for St. Louis Community College will feature an $18 million building that designers hope will receive LEED gold certification, thanks to several green design features, including a green rooftop designed with drought-tolerant plants.
The 66-acre Wildwood campus will help address rising student enrollment at the college, where no new construction has occurred since 1965.
VAIL, Colo. — The $1 billion Ever Vail resort village proposed by Vail Resorts could become the largest LEED-certified resort project in North America if it proceeds as planned.
The town council is set to consider a formal proposal for the 1 million-square-foot resort that could include up to 700,000 square feet of mixed-use space. Plans include 225 to 375 condominiums; a 100,000-square-foot hotel; up to 150,000 square feet of commercial space; a 100,000-square-foot ski facility; a new mountain-base portal; and a public park.
David Baum, of Chicago-based Baum Development LLC, spoke with Green Building News about his new project, Green Exchange, a sustainably designed commercial center that will offer consumers a source for green products and services.
Q: Why is now a good time for a green retail center?
CHICAGO — Construction is scheduled to begin soon in Chicago on a LEED-certified commercial center that will provide space for eco-friendly businesses. The project is the latest development in a series of green commercial centers that are being built in the United States.
