Summit County, CO. (September 8, 2006) – Today at a special dedication, the Green Building Initiative formally recognized the Summit County Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) as the first recycling facility in the country to be recognized by the Green Globes environmental assessment and rating system for commercial buildings. On hand for the dedication were (left to right): Bob French, County Commissioner; Carly Wier, Director, High Country Conservation Center; Bill Wallace, County Commissioner; Ward Hubbell, executive director of the Green Building Initiative; Tom Long, County Commissioner.

News

GREEN BUILDING INITIATIVE™ RECOGNIZES FIRST MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITY TO BE BUILT GREEN IN UNITED STATES - Recycling Facility Highlights Heat Recovery and Salvaged Material Use

SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. (September 8, 2006) — Today, the Summit County Government and the High Country Conservation Center celebrated a milestone when the Summit County Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) became the first recycling facility in the country to be recognized by the Green Building Initiative's (GBI) Green Globes™ environmental assessment and rating system for commercial buildings.

GBI executive director Ward Hubbell presented local leadership with a plaque recognizing the building's rating of Two Green Globes at the facility's grand opening. The building, which is also the first facility of its kind in the U.S. to be built green, was recognized for its merits in heat recovery, the use of salvaged and recycled materials and the maximization of daylighting.

Green Globes for new construction was adapted from a system that is widely used in Canada, where it is one of only two green building rating systems recognized by the Canadian federal government. Under the trade name Go Green Comprehensive it is also the basis of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada's national energy and environmental program for existing buildings.

"This building is a testament to the progressive environmental commitment of Summit County leadership," said Hubbell. "Green building does not only apply for big budget projects and cathedrals of architecture. I think the folks here in Summit County have realized that green building can be functional too." The 19,000-square-foot building is an independently run, or "neutral," facility in Summit County that allows any hauler to collect and drop mixed recyclables at the facility and process them for market in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

The main components of the MRF building are a series of conveyors for sorting mixed materials that come into the facility, a baler for condensing sorted materials into large blocks for shipment via truck to market, and a loading dock. The facility also features office space, a break room and an outside educational display area.

The MRF building will substantially increase the type and volume of materials collected in Summit County as well as surrounding areas. This will in turn conserve valuable landfill space and resources, while also allowing for growth in the private recycling sector in this region.

"As a mission-driven non-profit, we constantly strive to make our community more sustainable," said Carly Wier, director of the High Country Conservation Center, the non-profit organization which was started in 1976 by Tim McClure. "We think that the additional recognition from Green Globes will help us showcase that today, sustainability goes beyond just recycling."

To achieve a verified rating, the design team from Matthew Stais Architects, The High Country Conservation Center and the Summit County government used the Green Globes tool to assess and rate the building, which was then verified by a third-party building science expert who reviewed the construction documents and conducted an on-site inspection.

"The cornerstone of this project has been the Summit County government's commitment to environmental stewardship," said Matthew Stais, principal architect, Matthew Stais Architects. "The Green Globes program was a good fit for us; it helped establish and achieve measurable, meaningful levels of sustainable design and construction."

The MRF building is just one of the buildings that have completed certification in the United States using the Green Globes system. Other buildings include: Blakely Hall in Issaquah, Wash.; the Pfizer Inc. Clinical Research Unit in New Haven, Conn.; the RenewAire, LLC corporate headquarters in Madison, Wis.; and the Clinton Library in Little Rock, Ark.

Participating in the on-site dedication ceremony from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the MRF building are:

• Mark Udall, United States Congressman
• Bob French, County Commissioner
• Ward Hubbell, Executive Director, Green Building Initiative
• Thad Noll, Assistant County Manager
• Matthew Stais, Matthew Stais Architects
• Bill Wallace, County Commissioner
• Carly Wier, Director, High Country Conservation Center

For more information about the GBI or Green Globes, visit www.thegbi.org.

ABOUT THE GREEN BUILDING INITIATIVE: The mission of the Green Building Initiative is to accelerate the adoption of building practices that result in energy-efficient, healthier and environmentally sustainable buildings by promoting credible and practical green building approaches. A not-for-profit education initiative, the GBI is supported by a broad cross section of organizations and individuals with an interest in residential and commercial construction. For more information on the Green Building Initiative, please visit www.thegbi.org.