Tacoma Spotlight: LEED Buildings in our Community
Since 1993, AHBL has been a regional leader in the application of sustainability principles to the built environment. Our staff has designed dozens of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certified Silver, Gold, and Platinum projects throughout multiple market sectors including municipal, education, civic, and others.
AHBL is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, which assesses building design and construction. Certification level is based on points received for meeting nine key classification categories including having a sustainable site, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, building materials used; building energy efficiency; location and transportation; innovation; environmental consideration in the region, and educational components.
The following are some of AHBL’s most recent public LEED certified projects around the South Puget Sound area.
Eastside Community Center
The Eastside Community Center offers the best of all worlds for kids and adults alike. Located in East Tacoma the LEED Silver-certified building was planned, designed, and constructed by forward-thinking contributors. The 55,000-SF facility has interesting and fun features including the 318,000-gallon swimming pool with a user-friendly zip line, fitness center, courts, running track, professional recording studio, commercial-style kitchen for cooking classes, 500-person-capacity social hall, and a slide that whisks visitors from the upper level to the lower level. AHBL provided civil design services for this award-winning project. Visitors are encouraged to stop in to see this community icon.
Eastside Community Center - LEED Silver
The Center for Urban Waters
The Center for Urban Waters is a world-class research center that brings together environmental scientists, analysts, engineers, and policymakers who work collaboratively to examine issues facing Puget Sound. This 56,000 SF unique building is located on the east side of the Thea Foss Waterway on a brownfield site in Tacoma, Washington. AHBL is proud to be a contributing design partner on the building, which is certified LEED Platinum, the highest rating achievable through the program. AHBL provided civil and structural engineering on this highly sustainable building including incorporating green stormwater strategies, permeable grid pavers and grass pave in the parking area, walkways, and esplanade, as well as the design of the rain garden. AHBL’s structural engineers developed the steel structure framing and worked in collaboration with the architect and landscape architect on the green roof design.
The founding partners of the Center for Urban Waters are very proud of this facility and encourage the community to visit this revolutionary center. Select the link below to learn more about this building, which includes an interpretive site tour.
The Center for Urban Waters - LEED Platinum
LOTT Clean Water Alliance Regional Services Center
When the LOTT Clean Water Alliance expanded its facilities to include the new Regional Services Center and WET (Water, Educational and Technology) Science Center, the goal was to design and build for sustainability. Located on the site of the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant in Olympia, Washington, the Regional Services Center houses administrative offices, the science center and the water quality laboratory. This certified LEED Platinum facility has unique green features, including on-site renewable energy, uses reclaimed water, has over 5,000 SF of green roof, and is designed with reclaimed and recycled material. AHBL provided civil and structural engineering, as well as land surveying services. For a closer look at this award-winning facility visit the link below to experience the virtual tour highlighting the green features.
LOTT Clean Water Alliance Regional Services Center - LEED Platinum