PDG Architects Assisted NASA Score First LEED® Silver Certified Building

The Columbia Health & Fitness Center at the NASA White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico has been recognized as a LEED^® Silver Certified Building by the U.S. Green Building Council. The 11,066-square foot facility was completed in 2006 and is the first-ever NASA building to garner LEED certification.

“NASA is committed to green building certification as a matter of (social responsibility),” said (name and title). “PDG Architects has been instrumental in scaling this first precipice and we are now on our way to accomplishing our first Gold certification.”

PDG Architects believes that “good design is sustainable design,” said (PDG spokesperson). “Green design is a natural extension of the core practices inherent in designing effective, sustainable buildings.” PDG Architects has been a member of the U.S. Green Building Council since 2002 and employs LEED^®-accredited professionals.

The health center at White Sands scored very high in the category of Innovation & Design and was perfect in the category of Water Efficiency. It scored in the mid- to the high-range in the categories of Sustainable Site, Materials & Resources, and Air Quality. The facility employed optimal indigenous materials in construction, including high recycled content. PDG Architects was retained by NASA to program and design the health and fitness facility in order to complement its existing employee wellness program. The new masonry and steel building houses an 60-ft. by 110-ft. gymnasium, featuring basketball and volleyball courts, with an associated 5,000-square foot weight/aerobics area and locker room. The multi-functional design is suitable for an array of activities including group meetings and vendor exhibits as well as athletics. The fitness area features optimal daylighting, designed with a panoramic view of the surrounding desert with a backdrop of the beautiful Organ Mountains. Interior colors accent the desert surroundings and a trellised courtyard provides a bridge from interior to exterior space.

What is LEED^®?

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

The LEED Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. Since its inception in 1998, LEED has grown to encompass more than 10,000 projects in all 50 U.S. States, covering more than one billion square feet of development area.

LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures. All certified projects receive a LEED plaque, which is the nationally recognized symbol demonstrating that a building is environmentally responsible, profitable and a healthy place to live and work.

There are both environmental and financial benefits to earning LEED certification.

LEED-certified buildings:

Lower operating costs and increased asset value.

Reduce waste sent to landfills.

Conserve energy and water.

Provide healthier and safer facilities for occupants.

Reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives in hundreds of cities.

Demonstrate an owner's commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

About PDG Architects

PDG Architects is a full-service architectural firm founded in 1982 that provides complete planning, design and documentation services to a diverse family of clients across the public and private sectors. Noted leadership in project management, combined with extraordinary care and attention to client organizational goals, spurs continuous growth for the firm and now extends our reach nationally. Notable organizational client engagements include The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), NASA, the Texas State University System, CBRE/Trammell Crow, and many others. For more information about the firm, please contact Janet King at 713.629.6100 or at www.pdgarchitects.com.