The U.S. Green Building Council has awarded platinum LEED certification to the Center for Energy Efficient Design in Rocky Mount. The school is the first public school building in the U.S. built with Passivhaus technology meeting the highest standards in energy efficiency. The design, created by Structures Design Build, is the first commercial project in North America to earn both distinctions.

Here is the press release from Structures.

ROANOKE, Va. (August 27, 2012) – The Center for Energy Efficient Design (CEED) has earned platinum LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The school, in Rocky Mount, Va., is the first commercial project in North America to earn the highest level of both LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design) and Passivhaus, the most rigorous low-energy certification in the world.

With platinum LEED, the center, designed and built by Structures Design Build, received an internationally recognized mark of excellence that provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

The school  is the first public school building in the United States with Passivhaus technology, the German term for a new trend in construction that meets the highest standards in energy efficiency.

Located next to the Gereau Center for Applied Technology and Career Exploration, it uses solar panels, rainwater recycling and triple-glass thermal windows, among other innovations. The trellis on the front of the building is made from recycled grocery bags and plastic water bottles, and the entry flooring is actually recycled airplane tires.

In its first year of operations, the school’s energy consumption was nearly 6 percent less than predicted – and 68 percent less than “built to code” buildings of its size.

“We’re delighted that the leading certification of green building recognized the Center for Energy Efficient Design for achieving outstanding results,” said Adam Cohen, co-founder of Structures Design Build and an architect and certified Passivhaus planner in North America and Europe.

Structures is the only architectural firm and design/ builder in the region with expertise, training, and experience in Passivhaus technology. For more information, please see this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5OTmvNC2Bs.

ABOUT STRUCTURES

Structures, founded in 1999 by Adam Cohen and Steven Strauss, provides architectural services and specializes in commercial and residential construction. Structures dedicated team of architects and builders deliver our projects on time, on budget and built with integrity. To learn more, please visit www.structuresdb.com.