Silver is gold this season for InterPark Office Campus.

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Northern New Jersey's newest Class A office development is set to become one of the region's first Silver LEED certified corporate facilities. As developer Commercial Realty Group puts the finishing touches in place at InterPark Office Campus' 100 InterPark Blvd. this month, the 76,000 s/f building continues to surpass requirements for this important distinction as a sustainable, green facility.

Commercial Realty Group from the outset has been committed to constructing InterPark's core and shell to meet the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, which are designed to guide and distinguish high-performance commercial and institutional projects.

The organization has a standard checklist of credits that a property can earn, with major categories including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design processes. Each line item carries a point value; a certain number of points must be achieved to qualify for certification.

Early in the process at InterPark, Commercial Realty Group retained Environmental Service Management Group Inc. (ESMG) of Neptune, N.J., to serve as LEED consultant for the project. According to Robert Orfino, ESMG's operations director, the achievement of LEED certification must begin with someone who is fully committed to the undertaking.

"Championing this complex process is essential--it's the difference between success and failure," he said. "In the case of InterPark, Commercial Realty Group has been highly dedicated. Together we assessed the LEED checklist and decided which credits to pursue. Our role has been to make sure that the proper avenues were taken and that the documentation was put in place to prove that the correct processes were followed."

InterPark's LEED compliance highlights, among many others, include:

* Sustainable sites credits through the incorporation of preferred parking for hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles, and bike storage with showers and locker rooms.

* Water efficiency credits through the installation of efficient fixtures and irrigation-free landscaping that incorporates shrubs, trees and other plantings native to northeast.

* Energy and atmosphere credits through the selection of high-performance building systems.

* Materials and resources credits for recycling more than 90% of the project's construction waste (the goal was 75%).

* Indoor environmental quality through the use of low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints, sealants and carpeting; the protection of mechanical systems from dust and debris prior to installation; and the adherence to a smoke-free building policy during the late stages of construction.

* And innovation and design processes credits by working with a LEED-accredited professional through the construction process.