Region 8
Sustainable Design and Operations
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Analyzing, controlling and reducing our environmental impacts by practicing the principles of green building in our design, renovation and operations
Green buildings may look like ordinary homes, offices and schools, but they're anything but ordinary. With improved energy and water efficiency, renewable energy technologies, natural landscaping, and the reuse of building materials, green buildings demonstrate healthier and more resource-efficient methods of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance and demolition.
Research and experience have shown that when buildings are designed and operated with their life cycle impacts in mind—from construction to demolition—they can provide great environmental, economic and social benefits.
What Region 8 is Doing
Building Design
The Regional office, located at 1595 Wynkoop in Denver's Lower Downtown (LoDo), is certified as LEED Gold for New Construction.
It is a privately owned facility built to federal specifications and leased on behalf of EPA by the General Services Administration (GSA). The Agency works to improve environmental performance of its leased buildings—often through build-to-suit projects—through green lease specifications. These amendments to traditional lease language emphasize energy, water, and resource conservation. Primary elements of the design strategy include:
- Overview of the Denver Regional Office LEED NC Scorecard
- Sustainable Sites
- Water Efficiency
- Energy & Atmosphere
- Materials & Resources
- Indoor Environmental Quality
- Green Operations and Maintenance
EPA requires sustainable features for its major new building acquisitions, including specific water conservation measures; resource conservation, recycling, and use of sustainable building materials; and measures to protect indoor air quality, i.e. GreenCheck Document from EPA HQ.
Recently, a regional commitment has been made to achieve the LEED Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance standard. In that, to operate and maintain this building as a high performance, integrated success, both during construction and over the life cycle. The RO works closely with GSA and private facility managers to ensure sustainable practices, construction, engineering, and that innovation evolution is employed throughout our operational, maintenance and renovation protocol.