The new headquarters of ISO New England Inc. has been awarded gold-level environmental certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, according to ISO New England and its architectural firm, Spagnolo Gisness & Associates, Inc. (SG&A). The two-building campus is the first corporate headquarters in New England to receive the gold ranking, considered a high standard of sustainable design, development, and construction. At 160,000 s/f, it is also currently the largest commercial office facility to receive gold certification in the region. "The design and renovation of ISO New England's buildings incorporated a number of features that were both environmentally friendly and cost effective," said Robert Ludlow, ISO New England's CFO. In addition to the ISO and SG&A, AHA Consulting Engineers, and project developer Jones Lang LaSalle, were instrumental in achieving the gold standard of LEED certification. The project team also included construction managers, Barr & Barr, Inc., and structural engineers, McNamara/Salvia, Inc. Among the features that contributed to the certification are: · 96 % of the construction and demolition waste was recycled. · New materials used were manufactured within 500 miles. · Interior building materials and finishes contain more than 17% recycled content. · When applied and installed, paints, sealants, and carpets emitted a low amount of volatile organic compounds, and CO2-controlled ventilation system further protect air quality. · Insulation, windows, lighting, H/VAC systems, and water heating systems are energy efficient, resulting in a 38.1% annual energy cost savings for the new and renovated buildings combined. · Low-flow and automatic sensor operated plumbing fixtures save 311,000 gallons of water annually. · Bike racks, preferred parking spots for carpoolers, and outlets to plug in electric cars are available. · Landscape plants are drought-tolerant native species.