UN Agency in Rome Receives LEED Platinum Certification

ROME — In 2009, the United Nation’s (UN) International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome began to work towards making its building more energy efficient, first seeking a LEED certification for sustainability. These efforts were prompted by the UN’s Greening the Blue initiative. On Nov. 16, IFAD announced in a statement that the existing buildings had been awarded LEED Platinum certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) for operations and maintenance.

Read more

Cooling Towers Play Role in Industrial Water Conservation Efforts

Evaporative cooling towers, which can use millions of gallons of water per year, have provided the most cost effective cooling technology for industrial processes. However, with severe droughts throughout the United States, the issue of reducing water usage is now at the forefront.

Read more

Pittsburgh Welcomes New Green Skyscraper

PITTSBURGH — After beginning construction in 2012, PNC Financial Services Group is set to open its LEED Platinum certified building as its headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh. The tenants have started moving into the building as of the last week of September but the move will not be complete until January 2016.

Read more

Green Building Initiative Invites Public Feedback

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Consensus Body of the Green Building Initiative (GBI), headquartered in Portland, recently called for public comments on a revision to its American National Standards Institute, ANSI/GBI 01-2010: Green Building Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings. GBI — a non-profit organization founded in 2004 to accelerate the adoption of green building practices — began revising the standard in 2014.

Read more

Drew University Adds New LEED Student Center

MADISON, N.J. — The newly redesigned Ehinger Center located on the Drew University campus in Madison received LEED certification earlier this month. The upgraded facility now incorporates many green features and is the second building on campus to become certified, after the LEED Silver McClendon Hall.

Read more

One World Observation Deck Debuts Atop Freedom Tower

NEW YORK — The One World Observatory atop New York’s Freedom Tower opened earlier this year on May 29. The tower’s new observation deck, built by Godsell Construction Corporation of Hicksville, N.Y., recently achieved LEED Gold certification.

One World Trade Center is 104-stories high and reaches 1,776 feet, making it the tallest structure on the city skyline. Thanks to the addition of its spire, One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and the third tallest in the world.

Read more