By TIM MEKEEL, Lancaster Newspapers Business Editor
The South Campus of Landis Homes has won LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, it was announced last week.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) status marks a project as a top “green” project, in design, construction and operation.
The South Campus so far has one set of 25 “hybrid” housing units (which combine features of cottages and apartments) and 42 cottages.
Two more sets of “hybrids” are planned while eight more cottages are under construction.
When completed, the total cost of the East Oregon Road expansion project in Manheim Township will be $50 million.
“The effort to create efficient buildings and use natural resources wisely is important to us,” said Linford Good, Landis Homes vice president.
“It speaks to our guiding value of stewardship in all aspects of our community,” he said in a prepared statement.
Working with Landis Homes on the South Campus venture are RGS Associates, RLPS Architects and Benchmark Construction.
Among the “green” features of the South Campus structures are geothermal heating and cooling, high-performance windows, increased insulation and ultra low-flow fixtures.
They also have rainwater harvesting for nonpotable uses (i.e., car washing, irrigation etc.), porous paving, enhanced ecological systems (i.e., woodlands, open spaces etc.) and groundwater recharge and filtration systems to manage stormwater runoff.
The South Campus is only the third commercial or institutional project in the county to obtain LEED Gold status, joining Paradise Elementary School and the Mapquest office.
LEED Gold is the second-highest LEED ranking. In the county, only the Armstrong World Industries headquarters holds the top LEED ranking, platinum.
©Lancaster Newspapers, 2012
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