First Federal Building Achieves LEED Platinum Certification

The Science & Technology Facility at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory has been designated as one of the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly places to work in the United States by the U.S. Green Buildings Council under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building program.

LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. It recognizes and measures building performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

The 71,000-sq. ft., $22.7-million, state-of-the-art Science & Technology Facility (S&TF) in Golden is the first federal laboratory building to receive a platinum rating, the highest in the LEED Green Building rating system. Only 28 other buildings in the world have achieved the LEED platinum designation.

The multi-story building was designed to fit into the gently sloping side of a mesa, where care was taken to minimize disturbing the natural terrain and conserve and manage water resources. Architectural features such as daylighting, evaporative cooling and efficient motors, fans, windows and lighting reduce the building’s energy requirements, saving 41 percent in energy costs.

The building was completed in June 2006 by architects SmithGroup of Phoenix, AZ and general contractors M.A. Mortenson Company of Denver, CO.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development.