CROSBY STREET HOTEL IS AWARDED GOLD LEED CERTICATION
BECOMING THE GREENEST HOTEL BUILD IN NEW YORK CITY

The Crosby Street Hotel has been awarded LEED® GOLD  established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED stands for Leadership Energy and Environmental Design.

CROSBY STREET HOTEL achieved LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, LEED certified building save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

LEED certification of GOLD was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community.

These features at the Crosby Street Hotel include:

Construction activity pollution prevention
The rehabilitation of the contaminated site
A reduction in automobile usage through the provision of bicycles
Habitat restoration with landscaped spaces and green roofs – 25% of site restored with native/adaptive plantings
Maximization of open space – 61% of site is considered open space
Reduction in the heat island effect to minimize impact upon microclimate, human and wildlife habitat
Water efficient landscaping – reduce by 50%.
Maximization of water efficiency over 20% less water compared to a baseline building.
Enhanced commissioning of the building energy systems
Optimisation of energy performance - 11% better than baseline building
Enhanced refrigerant management
Green power - encourages development and use of grid-source and renewable energy technologies for 35% of electricity usage for period of 2 years
Storage and collection of recyclables
Usage of regional materials - extracted and manufactured within a 500 mile radius
The recycling of demolition and construction waste instead of dumping it in a landfill
Use of building products that incorporate recycled content materials
Certified wood: Use of FSC certified wood products (credit not earned but some materials were FSC)
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) control: No smoking policy
Rooms provided with 100% outdoor air, air is filtered with efficient filters before being brought into spaces
Reduction of materials that are odorous and harmful to the well-being of installers and occupants, including low emitting adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, carpets and wood materials
Providing a high level thermal system control for at least 50% of occupants
Integrated pest management and green housekeeping

U.S. Green Building Council
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for the nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 155,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.

Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.

LEED
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 32,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 9.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries.

By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation. www.usgbc.org

For further information and images please contact:

Craig Markham - Director of Marketing & PR
craigmarkham@firmdale.com
+ 44 (0) 20 7581 4045

Angela Mannerson - PR Manager
angelamannerson@firmdale.com
+ 44 (0) 20 7581 4045