New Engineering Building Gets a Gold Star
In April 2010, MSD’s new LEED® Gold certified engineering building was completed and dedicated in an opening ceremony. The three-story, 58,000+ square-foot structure is owned by the City of Cincinnati and will be known as the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati Wastewater Engineering and Educational Center. About 150 employees and support staff moved into the building in April 2010. They work for or support our Project Delivery (PD) and Project & Business Development (PBD) divisions, and their primary functions are to develop and execute Project Groundwork.
The facility, a collaboration between MSD and various City and County Departments, was built on a former brownfield site using energy efficient materials with recycled content. Energy-conserving components include a white reflective rubber roof, solar panels, and a special cooling system. The building also uses energy-efficient lighting and makes use of natural light.
The building is accessible to mass transit and offers bicycle racks and outlets for four electric cars. Outside, the new structure boasts a rain garden and two green roofs to control stormwater. To reduce water usage, the building features highly efficient fixtures and occupant sensors. The building will serve as a “green education center” for the Cincinnati community. A special kiosk is being placed in the lobby to help educate visitors about its green features.
What is LEED®?
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is an internationally recognized green building certification program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org). There are four LEED categories - certified, silver, gold and platinum - which are achieved based on a point system. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.