Joe Serna Jr. California EPA Headquarters: LEED Platinum Certified

It makes perfect sense to EnviroCitizen.org that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would have green buildings to work out of. After all, the EPA is the chief authoritative agency for all things green. The Joe Serna Jr. California EPA Headquarters building is as green as it gets. It is certified Platinum by the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The building incorporates the use of daylight to naturally heat the building. The dual pane windows reduce ambient air temperature fluctuations, which reduces energy use. The building is lit with very high-efficiency bulbs and they even installed perimeter light sensors to automatically dim the artificial lights when the sun shines brightly. They have hundreds of solar photovoltaic panels on their roof, which generates a substantial portion of their energy. They also have low-flow toilets and used zero-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints throughout the interior of the building.

Throughout the design, the Joe Serna Jr. California EPA Headquarters used environmentally-sensitive and resource-efficient materials. The carpet tiles that cover the floors throughout the building were made from 52% recycled-content and the adhesive used on the carpet tiles have a significantly lower level of VOC than other wet glues. They boast 25 electric vehicle charging stations and the building it outfitted with a recycling center and numerous recycling collection points to make recycling convenient.

The property is landscaped with native grasses, which improves the soil and reduces the need for water to irrigate. They implement vermiculture bins, which are compost bins that use worms to decompose organic waste. The decomposed organic waste is then used in flowerbeds throughout the property. By instituting daytime janitorial services, the EPA was able to save about $100,000 in annual energy costs by eliminating the need for lights at night. The great thing about the Joe Serna Jr. California EPA Headquarters is the fact that it is an example of how sustainable features don't always cost more than conventional materials. The ceiling tiles, which are made of 82% recycled-content materials, were cheaper than conventional ceiling tiles. The same is true for the carpet. Other features of the building that make it energy efficient also reduce electricity costs and water needs.

The Joe Serna Jr. California EPA Headquarters, from what EnviroCitizen.org has seen, is as eco-friendly as it gets. Today, this building is widely recognized as the most energy efficient high-rise building in the country. Hopefully their example will inspire future projects to follow suit, leading to a greener tomorrow.