Seventh LEED certified project completed by City of Charlottesville

Charlottesville Circuit Court, located at 315 E. High St., has been award LEED Gold certification.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence. LEED projects earn points by adhering to prerequisites and credits across nine measurements for building excellence. There are four levels of LEED Certification – Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

“Overall, buildings in the U.S. account for almost 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. In Charlottesville, they account for over 50 percent of our GHG emissions profile. By designing and constructing the Charlottesville Circuit Court Renovation and Addition project to LEED standards, the city and its project team have demonstrated a continued, strong commitment to the City Council’s long-term vision of conserving energy and promoting environmentally sustainable building practices,” said Kristel Riddervold, the City’s Facilities Development and Environmental Sustainability Division Manager.

The Charlottesville Circuit Court, constructed in 1962, houses the 16th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. This renovation and 9,000-foot addition is the first significant improvements that have been made to the building.

The project includes a new courtroom, holding cells, renovated offices, a new elevator, and other ADA upgrades. The project achieved LEED Gold for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions in a number of areas including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

The footprint of the entire building is taken into consideration in assessing various LEED criteria (e.g., the overall energy performance) so integrating sustainability considerations in the project area was quite impactful.

The project minimized landfilled waste during construction, integrated sustainable materials, optimized energy performance, and conserves water. The project is projected to achieve energy cost savings of 34.8 percent.

“Transforming our buildings and spaces happens one project at a time. The City of Charlottesville understands the value of LEED and has shown extraordinary leadership in reshaping the market,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “The success of LEED is due to the partnership and support of those committed to advancing green building and sustainability. Each new LEED certification brings us one step closer to revolutionizing the spaces where we live, learn, work and play.”

• Project Architect: FPW Architects
• Contractor: First Class Contracting
• Owner: City of Charlottesville

About the U.S. Green Building Council

The U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. For more information about USGBC and LEED® Green Building Rating System™, visit www.usgbc.org.