The City of Farmington Hills is pleased to announce that the City Hall Revitalization Project has been awarded LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The USGBC’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the foremost program for the design, construction, and operation of green buildings.
By using less energy, LEED certified buildings save money for businesses and taxpayers, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, staff and the community.
“With each new LEED certified building, we get one step closer to USGBC’s vision of a sustainable environment within a generation,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair, USGBC. “As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, Farmington Hills City Hall is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement.”
Since the City Hall Revitalization Project was completed, the building has created a lot of buzz. From individual citizens to homeowner groups, to contractors and architectural students, visitors are pleasantly surprised when they walk through the doors. “The reaction has been very positive,” said Nat Geinzer, Management Assistant. “When you start talking about the green technology and the cost savings, you really hear the ‘oohs and aahs.'”
“City Hall is quite simply a beautiful and functional building. I am glad after all these years of discussing a sorely needed investment, I was able to help see this project through to completion,” said Mayor Jerry Ellis. “The best part is that the building is performing beyond City Council’s expectations and we didn’t have to borrow money to complete the project.”
In a comparison of June/July 2011 energy data to Jun/July 2007 data from the old building, statistics show:
- A more than 30% reduction in energy use
- A 70% reduction in total energy costs
- A 79% reduction in energy costs per square foot
“These numbers are pretty impressive,” said Barry Brickner, a member of both the City Council and the City’s Commission for Energy and Environmental Sustainability. “Our solar photovoltaic system in meeting most of our non-heating and cooling electrical needs. In fact, we have built up an $1,100 credit from DTE Energy.” He added that some project costs were supported by Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program and DTE Energy’s Solar Currents Program.
Farmington Hills City Hall is so efficient because of sustainable design features such as geoexchange heating and cooling, solar hot water, solar photovoltaic panels, daylighting, energy efficient lighting, an efficient building envelope and many other features.
“We’ve worked on a variety of projects that incorporate green roofs, solar panels, and heat pump systems, but with the city hall project we were able to incorporate all of these sustainable measures and more,” said Building Architect Dave Richardson of Lindhout Associates of Brighton. “Plus, we did it for around $160 per square foot, which is substantially lower than most LEED gold level projects.” In addition to Lindhout Associates, the project team included Contracting Resources of Brighton, Strategic Energy Solutions of Berkley, and the Green Panel of Brighton.
“The City Hall Revitalization Project has provided real savings and benefits for our taxpayers,” said City Manager Steve Brock. “This building is certainly something the City can be truly proud of. We continue to lead the way toward a more sustainable future.”
A reception was held on September 12, 2011 at the City Hall to recognize the achievement of LEED Gold Certification.
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Source: Farmington Hills Michigan