MOUNT DESERT — The U.S. Green Building Council has certified Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s (MCHT) new office building in Somesville as LEED gold. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System encourages adoption of sustainable green building and development practices.

The LEED rating system offers four certification levels for new construction – certified, silver, gold and platinum – that correspond to the number of credits accrued in five green design categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality.

Last summer a new laboratory building at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory in Hulls Cove was granted LEED gold status. The recently opened U.S. Border station in Calais is LEED gold certified, as are at least one other office building and several residences in Maine.

According to a MCHT statement, Bar Harbor architect Stewart Brecher designed an efficient office that minimizes water and energy use, incorporates solar energy, and uses materials from local and environmentally responsible providers. “Meeting the design objectives required the active participation of our client, consultants and contractor. Fortunately, we had such a team,” says Mr. Brecher. When compared to local building code, the office achieves 57 percent energy savings and 42 percent water savings over a standard design. In addition, 18 percent of the building’s energy use comes from renewable sources, including solar.

Twelve MCHT staff members work from the new office building, which is surrounded by a 35-acre preserve where the public is welcome to enjoy walking trails along Babson Creek. “We’re thrilled to have been awarded LEED gold status on our new office – in addition to the low environmental impact, this building is very energy efficient and reflects our values as a member of the MDI community,” says MCHT’s director of land protection, David MacDonald.

The office was constructed by Nickerson and O’Day, Inc. which is based in Bangor and has worked on a number of LEED-certified projects in Maine.

For more environmental news, pick up a copy of the Mount Desert Islander.

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