Drum roll please....
Pasadena City Hall has received the second-highest level ranking for environmental design, according to reporter Janette Williams.
The Gold Certification of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) follows “a three-year, $117-million restoration completed in 2007,” according to Williams.
Here are some excerpts from the story:
City staffers were elated at the recognition of what Public Works Director Martin Pastucha called a “challenging project” to bring modern, affordable green technology to a 1927 building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“We’re extremely proud,” Pastucha said Friday of the collaborative effort in reaching the gold level. "We accomplished something beyond what we thought — we were pretty sure we could get the silver rating ... Obviously this is a tremendous example of a renovation project.”
Mayor Bill Bogaard called the gold certification a major achievement for the city, and said it “confirms that historic buildings can meet modern-day, environmentally responsible design standards.”
Pastucha said the multiple award-winning project — which came in under time and on budget — had been “financially challenged” when planning started five years ago. “Bids came in higher than projected, and incorporating LEEDs requirements made it more challenging,” he said.
Six environmental categories are considered: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design.