TRANSIT HUB HONORED AS `GREEN' BUILDING.Byline: Daily News SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, -- A national environmental advocacy group gave Santa Clarita's new Transit Maintenance Facility its Gold rating -- the second highest -- for its ``green'' construction. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. , the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance environmentally friendly Environmentally friendly, also referred to as nature friendly, is a term used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment.[1] buildings, bestowed the award. Green buildings are those that are built to be environmentally responsible, profitable and a healthful health·ful adj. 1. Conducive to good health; salutary. 2. Healthy. health  ful·ness n. place to live and work.
The $30 million transit maintenance facility in the Valencia Industrial Center is a state-of-the-art ``green'' building where city buses are housed, fueled, cleaned and maintained. Construction techniques are expected to save the city more than $1 million a year. The building, which opened last year, is Santa Clarita's first environmentally friendly facility and is designed to conserve water, power and materials and to guard the health of employees. It was built with rice straw as insulation, has an alternative fuel station and heating and cooling systems cooling systems for housed animals include spraying of roofs with water, evaporative pads with fans, foggers and misters; for pastured animals shelter from the sun by trees or artificial shade devices and cooling ponds are used. that take advantage of daylight and cool night air. Wheat grains, soybeans, sunflower seeds and recycled paper products are imbedded in decorative woodwork. LEED-certified buildings reduce waste sent to landfills, conserve energy and water, reduce harmful greenhouse gas greenhouse gas n. Any of the atmospheric gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. greenhouse gas emissions, have lower operating costs and have increased asset values. Businesses that qualify for certification receive tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives. Projects are awarded Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum certification. |
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