SEATTLE—The Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) announced that it has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance. LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings; certification is established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USBGC) and verified by the Green Building Institute.

LEED certification takes into account the use of energy, lighting, water, and materials, as well as the incorporation of a variety of other sustainable strategies, and is awarded based on the square footage of space divided by the kilowatt-hours of power used. This was a particular challenge for the facility; due to longer operating hours, it uses substantially more energy than other buildings of comparable size. In order to achieve certification, it was necessary to make numerous retrofit changes in lighting, water flow and the HVAC system.

LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance encourages owners and operators of existing buildings to implement sustainable practices and reduce the environmental impacts of their building over their functional life cycles.

“This new certification meets the city of Seattle’s sustainability and environmental impact goals as well as the requirements of a number of convention clients who are looking for green operations,” said Jeff Blosser, President and CEO at WSCC. “This certification is a commitment of the overall operation—a way of doing business—not just a one-time effort. Moving forward, the WSCC continues to play a significant role in the green buildings movement here in Seattle.”

The WSCC also received sustainability and innovation credits as part of the certification process for their waste diversion efforts. With a diversion rate of roughly 70 percent from the landfill to recycling and compost centers, the Center is in the top 5 percent of businesses nationwide in waste diversion efforts.