Roanoke Gets in the LEED With Historic Downtown Building
A recent renovation in downtown Roanoke, VA, has nabbed the first US Green Building Council LEED certification in the city. The State & City Bank Building, originally built in 1905, was converted from commercial to mixed-use with five residential condos, six offices and street-level retail space. The building is also the first LEED-certified historic, multi-story conversion from commercial to residential condos in an urban setting.
Here are just a few of the elements that make it “green”:
- For optimal energy performance an ultra-high efficiency boiler was coupled with water source heat pumps creating an estimated 88% annual savings in heating and cooling costs
- 97% of the regularly occupied spaces have natural light
- Low VOC adhesives, sealants, paints and carpet
- Dual-flush toilets and low-flow aerators result in a 40% reduction in water use
- Approximately 86% of the roof is covered with a white elastomeric coating for reflectivity and cooler interior temperatures during the summer.
The GC celebrating the certification is Breakell Inc., a local firm with 50 years of construction experience in the area. The company’s wide range of projects includes government, commercial, educational, industrial and historic renovation with a focus on sustainable building practices.
