“The building was designed to provide the highest quality indoor environment and lowest utility costs while helping to preserve the environment for future generations.”

The Green Building Council is a non-profit organization recognizing the highest levels of green building performance through its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.

The building’s gold recognition required numerous construction and design accomplishments:

• A construction waste management program recycled and/or salvaged at least 56 percent of construction waste;
• Ninety-five percent of the wood used is Forest Stewardship Council-certified;
• Construction materials contained a minimum of 20 percent recycled content and 15 percent of regionally harvested, extracted or salvaged and manufactured goods;
• A green housekeeping program was implemented to minimize human exposure to harmful chemicals and to reduce the environmental impact of building operations;
• High-efficiency plumbing fixtures were used and energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems installed to reduce water and energy consumption;
• Landscaping incorporates native species and drought-resistant plants to reduce irrigation requirements and conserve water.

The Foundation owns and develops the University of Virginia Research Park, located on U.S. Route 29 North in Albemarle County, Va. Currently, eight buildings comprise nearly 500,000 square feet in the development; zoning is in place for development of up to 3 million square feet.

“The Foundation is committed to the stewardship of the environment,” Rose said. “We want to help provide economic growth with minimal environmental impact. Given the size of our land holdings and our commitment to protect the environment, this will have a very positive impact on development in our community.”