Army Adopts LEED Green Building Rating System

Washington, DC, April 11, 2006--For the design and construction of its buildings, the U.S. Army has announced that it will transition from its own Sustainable Project Rating Tool (SPiRiT) in use since 2002, to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, beginning in 2008. The announcement was made by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations and Environment, Keith Easton. The Federal Government, the nation's largest building owner, has been among the top users of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED rating system, and has also helped to develop and improve the rating system through participation in USGBC member committees. LEED buildings demonstrate better life cycle economic performance than convention construction, use less energy and water, and have a smaller environmental footprint. The U.S. Navy, Air Force and General Services Administration, Department of Energy, Department of State and Department of Energy all reference and use LEED for the design and construction of their buildings. Seven percent of the LEED projects that are currently in construction are owned by the Federal Government. The announcement was made in a January memo (http://www.sustainability.army.mil/function/docs_leeds/SPIRIT_to_LEED_Memo_Jan_06.pdf), which stated that the goal of transitioning from the SPiRiT rating system to LEED was an effort to integrate the principles and practices of sustainability on their installations as they minimize the impacts and total ownership costs of Army systems, materials, facilities and operations. The Army will be required to build all their new construction projects to the LEED Silver standard. Created by the USGBC, the LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national leadership standard for developing high-performance green buildings. LEED provides a comprehensive framework for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals. Based on well-founded scientific standards, LEED emphasizes state of the art strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. LEED recognizes achievements and promotes expertise in green building through a comprehensive system offering project certification, professional accreditation, training and practical resources. The SPiRiT program was originally developed to provide guidance to support the consideration of sustainable design and development principles in Army installation planning decisions and infrastructure projects. Its intent was that it would be used throughout the design process to guide the project towards a sustainable solution as well as to score and rate the resulting facility. SPiRiT was modeled after the LEED Rating System. LEED Certified Federal Projects: - Social Security Annex Building Renovation, U.S. General Services Administration - Central Supply Facility, Argonne National Laboratory - Federal Building United States Courthouse, U.S. General Services Administration - Physical Fitness Center, USAF, Air Combat Command - Social Security Administration Child Care Center, U.S. General Services Administration - Pentagon Metro Entrance Facility, Pentagon Renovation Office - West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, National Weather Service - Baca/Dlo'ay azhi Community School, Baca Community School - Weather Forecast Office, National Weather Service - Ampere Annex, Bonneville Power Administration - Seattle Terminal Radar Approach Control, Federal Aviation Administration - Pentagon Athletic Center, Pentagon Renovation Program - South Rim Maintenance & Warehouse Facility, National Park Service - United States Department of Transportation, Opus Northwest Construction, L.L.C. - EPA National Computer Center, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Navy's Energy & Sustainable Design Demonstration

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