March 19, 2008

PASADENA CITY HALL ACHIEVES LEED GOLD CERTIFICATION

Pasadena City Hall has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council – the second highest level that can be achieved.

The historic building, constructed in 1927 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is the first municipal facility in Pasadena to receive LEED certification and the fifth LEED-certified building in Pasadena.

LEED is the internationally recognized green building rating system. It uses a four-tier performance scale – Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum – and awards points for meeting or exceeding standards on a variety of sustainability measures. Projects are evaluated in six environmental categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design.

A three-year construction project at Pasadena City Hall, led by the city’s Public Works Department, included a seismic retrofit and technology infrastructure. It was completed in June 2007 ahead of schedule and within budget.

Pasadena Water and Power provided funding for LEED certification and implementation of water- and energy-efficiency technologies and design.

Environmentally responsible design elements incorporated into Pasadena City Hall include highly energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, which increases the building’s energy efficiency to nearly 20 percent above state standards; purchase of 100 percent green power for the building; water-efficient plumbing fixtures such as low-flow faucets, dual-flush toilets and waterless urinals, which reduce water use by 40 percent; selection of materials safe for indoor use including paint, carpeting, flooring, tile, wood products and sealants; prohibition of smoking in the building and on the grounds; use of green cleaning products by janitorial crews; restoration of historic windows and skylights for increased day lighting in the building; automatic shut-off for lighting fixtures; materials with high-recycled content; educational materials for employees and the public on sustainability; preferred parking for employees who carpool or drive electric or low-emission vehicles; and convenient access to bicycle storage, showers and changing areas for employees who bike to work.

“Our LEED Gold Certification is a major achievement and confirms that historic buildings can meet modern-day, environmentally responsible design standards,” said Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard. “I am enormously proud of the resourcefulness of our employees and others on the project team for achieving this certification.”

Although Pasadena’s Green Building Ordinance was not adopted until after the City Hall project began, an enthusiastic team thought it was important to seek
certification. The team included staff from the city’s Public Works Department, Pasadena Water and Power, Planning and Development Department, Clark Construction, Architectural Resources Group, DMJM Management, Forell Elsesser Structural Engineers, Glumac Engineers and Soltierra.

“Pasadena City Hall is to be congratulated for achieving LEED Gold Certification,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the U.S. Green Building Council. “The historic building will be a showcase for high-performance, energy- and water-efficient, healthy buildings and will be an inspiration for others.”

The retrofit and restoration of Pasadena City Hall has received numerous awards including the 2008 Preservation Award from the Los Angeles Conservancy, the City Beautification/Heritage Award from the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, the Heritage Award from the Foothill California Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the Gold Award from Building Design & Construction Magazine, the award for Best Project Renovation in Southern California from California Construction Magazine and the “Build America” Merit Award from Associated General Contractors of America.

Pasadena’s Green Building Ordinance, one of the first in the nation to adopt LEED guidelines for privately owned buildings, now requires LEED Silver certification for municipal buildings with 5,000 square feet or more of new construction.

The other LEED-certified buildings in Pasadena are Art Center College of Design South Campus, 950 S. Raymond Ave. (Certified); Tricom, 2812 E. Walnut St. (Silver); Northwest Innovation Center, 45 Eureka St. (Gold); and Earthlink, 2947 Bradley St. (Gold).

For more information visit www.cityofpasadena.net/greencity or call (626) 744-4009.
For more information about the Pasadena City Hall project visit www.cityofpasadena.net/cityhall or call (626) 744-4695.