Gwinnett gets energy gold 

Lawrenceville, Ga., (July 10, 2007) – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded a gold level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating to the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center (GEHC) in the new commercial construction category. The LEED system is a nationally-accepted benchmark for design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

   “This project was Gwinnett County’s first green building and our new police training facility is our second,” said Board Chairman Charles Bannister, “ I’m proud to announce that GEHC has just been named one of the top 20 finalists for a Sustainable Communities Award from the National Association of Counties.” The Board of Commissioners helped the publicly-funded educational center lay the groundwork for a sustainable design philosophy. Gwinnett County created the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center in 2003 to address environmental concerns.

   “The GEHC is a lead-by-example approach to education,” said District 1 Commissioner Lorraine Green. “It demonstrates to businesses, educators, students and citizens how we can all work to improve the world around us.”

   The facility was developed through a collaboration of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, the Gwinnett County Public School System, the University of Georgia, and the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center Foundation. The unique partnership of government and education has become a model for future endeavors. Funds from the voter-approved SPLOST program paid for design and construction of the building.

   The Center offers interactive exhibits designed for K-12 education that also encourage adult and family audiences to explore the historical impact of water on our everyday lives and the water management challenges we must face in the future.

   District 4 Commissioner Kevin Kenerly said, “The primary goal of the GEHC is to educate its visitors about the philosophy of sustainability. Changing old habits is hard, but learning is a never-ending process.”

   Students study watershed protection, habitat evaluation, water quality assessment, energy efficient design practices, protection of natural resources, and heritage and cultural appreciation. Instilling K-12 students with science and technology literacy will reap benefits throughout their lifetime.

  The facility was designed by Lord, Aeck & Sargent and built by Juneau Construction Co. The project recently received an Excellence in Design award from Environmental Design + Construction magazine, an Award of Excellence from the Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgia and an American Institute of Architects Honor Award.

   To get LEED certification, a building must meet stringent prerequisites and achieve a minimum number of points. Successful projects can receive Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum certification.

   “From the very beginning, one of the County’s criteria for this facility was that it should pursue a LEED rating,” said Steve Cannon, GEHC executive director. “This is a highly complex design and something that’s never been done before. Yet it came in on time, under budget and exceeded our expectations.”

   “The Center is a living, working, breathing tool that is educating people about management of precious natural resources and about the need to build water- and energy-efficient structures. Gwinnett County residents truly have a jewel here that they can treasure for many years,” Cannon said.

   The building and grounds model sustainable design and construction techniques to minimize disturbance to the site and maximize energy efficiency. The two-story, 59,000-square-foot building uses 75 percent less potable water and 35 percent less energy than a conventional building of the same size. Highlights include a 40,000-square-foot green roof – the largest sloped green roofing system in the United States. A cascading water feature draws non-potable reuse water from a nearby wastewater treatment facility and uses it to provide air conditioning, irrigate vegetation and flush toilets. The building uses regionally and locally harvested materials, a fan-assisted natural ventilation system and daylight harvesting.

   The Center offers a wide variety of programs and recreation for K-12 education, adults and families including workshops, hikes, facility rentals and birthday party packages. More information is available at www.gwinnettEHC.com .