ARPC headquarters building on schedule for 'green' certification

ARPC's new building at Buckley Air Force base has been under construction since July 2009. Expected to be finished in April 2011, the building will be certified a silver rating by the U.S. Green Building Council for its environmentally-friendly design, construction and operation. (Photo by Mark Wika, US Army Corps of Engineers)

ARPC headquarters building on schedule for 'green' certification

Published Aug. 20, 2010
By Mike Molina
Editor

DENVER -- The Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center's building, currently under construction at Buckley Air Force base, is on schedule to be certified as a cost-efficient and energy-saving facility by the U.S. Green Building Council.

According to ARPC officials, the new building will meet the criteria for a silver rating from USGBC's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

"Our building is designed to receive this certification which is earned based on energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality and other green features," said Jon Gaines, ARPC's installation site manager and customer representative overseeing the construction.

LEED is a rating system developed by USGBC that offers third-party validation and a nationally accepted accreditation aimed at improving environmental efficiency of the design, construction and operation of buildings.

Once finished, ARPC's building will earn the LEED silver rating for its various green features, including: site sustainability (including access to mass transportation and availability of bicycle storage space); low-impact on the surrounding habitat; water-efficient landscaping; roof that minimizes the affect of summertime heat islands; use of on-site renewable energy; indoor environmental quality; and storage, collection and use of recyclable materials.

Construction of ARPC's new building began in July 2009. The building is expected to be ready to move into by April 2011, according to Mr. Gaines.

"The contractor is performing above satisfactory and there is no indication that the building will be delayed," he said.

The U.S. Air Force tops the Environmental Protection Agency's quarterly list of federal green power purchasers with more than 339,000,000 kilowatt-hours of green power usage.