A 5,000-square-foot Head Start pre-school in eastern Oregon has become the first building in the state to receive an eco-friendly rating from the Green Building Initiative under its Green Globes environmental assessment system.
Adapted from a system widely used in Canada, the GBI's Green Globes is an online interactive tool that enables builders to assess their projects against green standards and have their ratings reviewed by independent third-party assessors, who examine planning documents and conduct on-site inspections to determine whether to confirm ratings.
The ratings range from one Green Globe to to a high of four Green Globes. The Victory Square Center pre-school of operated by Umatilla Morrow Head Start Inc. in Hermiston received a verified rating of two Green Globes. The designation indicates "excellent progress in reducing environmental impacts by applying best practices in energy and environmental design and delivery," according to the ratings system.
"We pursued sustainable construction as part of our commitment to environmental responsibility," Dan Daltoso, associate director of operations for Umatilla Morrow Head Start, said in statement. "We chose to use the Green Globes system because of its ability to assist us in meeting our goals to reduce our impact on the environment and the surrounding community, and because it is user-friendly and affordable."
GBI President Ward Hubbell praised the pre-school system for its efforts on the Victory Square Center project. The building "achieved a balance between environmental considerations, such as energy-efficiency, while also providing a healthier teaching environment as well as a more inviting workplace for employees," Hubbell said in GBI's announcement of the ratings award.
The pre-school consists of three classrooms, a staff work room, a commercial kitchen and an outdoor play area. Its green design elements include energy efficiency, water conservation, strong use of natural light throughout the building and "superior air quality," the GBI said.
The GBI's Green Globes assessment and ratings system is considered an alternative to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards and rating system established by the U.S. Green Building Council.
GBI says its system has been recognized in legislation or executive orders in 18 states and by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services and the Department of the Interior. Projects that have received Green Globes ratings include the Clinton Library in Little Rock, Ark., Blakely Hall in Issaquah, Wash., the Pfizer Inc. Clinical Research Unit in New Haven, Conn., the NewPage Corporate Headquarters in Dayton, Ohio, the RenewAire, LLC corporate headquarters in Madison, Wis., and the Materials Recovery Facility in Summit County, Colo. |
