Earlier this month, the Convention Center earned a major achievement as the first convention center in the country to achieve LEED® Gold certification for Existing Buildings. This achievement also signifies the facility as the Commonwealth of Virginia’s largest building (over 515,000 square feet) to achieve the LEED® Gold certified project for Existing Buildings. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings, which was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) Rating System helps building owners and operators of existing buildings measure operations, improvements and maintenance on a consistent scale, with the goal of maximizing operational efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. A video clip of the Convention Center’s LEED announcement can be found here. To add to the mix, the Convention Center is in the running against 13 other buildings to win the EPA’s first-ever National Building Competition. The competition will reveal the most energy-efficient building in the country. Stay tuned for more info.
I’m very proud of the CVB’s hard-working staff and the ongoing sustainable initatives that the city is pursuing. Together, we will ensure that the future of our environment will last for many generations to come.
PICTURED (from left to right): Courtney Dyer, Lori Herrick and Jim Ricketts, Virginia Beach CVB; Kimberly Lewis, USGBC.