What is LEED?

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System ™ is an internationally recognized green building certification system.  It was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council and provides third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using very specific “green building” strategies.  Those strategies are aimed at improving performance across the following metrics: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and the stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. 

LEED is based on a point system in which a building can obtain a Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum level of certification.  Points are achieved in the following categories:

  • Sustainable Sites
  • Energy and Atmosphere
  • Water Efficiency
  • Materials & Resources
  • Indoor Environmental Quality
  • Innovation & Design

Certification is awarded only after a rigorous independent review has been performed.  This review is performed to verify that the project has been designed and constructed according to the strict LEED criteria. In other words, LEED certification can only be achieved AFTER construction completion and a successful project review.

Stafford Park Apartments & LEED

Stafford Park Apartments is expected to attain at least LEED Silver Certification.  Some of the features incorporated into the units include: Energy Star appliances, low-flow plumbing fixtures, Low-E windows, bicycle racks, indigenous plantings and rooftop solar panels.  Some equally important features that you may not notice are: low VOC paints and adhesives, recycled building materials, insulated furnace ducts and a pollutant-reducing stormwater design.  All of the above features, whether seen or unseen, are designed to better the quality of life for our residents.

The Walters Group is dedicated to the design and development of environmentally responsible projects that foster healthy living and vibrant communities.  Stafford Park Apartments is just one component of an overall “green”, mixed-use community.  The commercial component of Stafford Park, also developed by Walters, features Target, Costco, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy and PetSmart.  Each of those stores has achieved LEED Silver Certification and further exemplifies Walters’ commitment its end users and the environment.    

  

 

©2009 Walters Group