MCHT’s New Office Awarded Gold Standard
The U.S. Green Building Council has certified Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s (MCHT) new office building in Somesville as LEED™ Gold. This is only the second time an office building in Maine has received the LEED gold standard. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System encourages adoption of sustainable green building and development practices.
Bar Harbor architect Stewart Brecher designed an efficient office that minimizes water and energy use, incorporates solar energy, and uses materials from local and environmentally responsible providers. “Meeting the design objectives required the active participation of our client, consultants and contractor. Fortunately, we had such a team,” says Mr. Brecher. When compared to local building code, the office achieves 57% energy savings and 42% water savings. In addition, 18% of the building’s energy use comes from renewable sources, including solar. Twelve MCHT staff work from the new office building, which is surrounded by a 35-acre preserve where the public is welcome to enjoy walking trails along Babson Creek.
“We’re thrilled to have been awarded LEED gold status on our new office—in addition to the low environmental impact, this building is very energy efficient and reflects our values as a member of the MDI community,” says MCHT’s Director of Land Protection David MacDonald. The Office was constructed by Nickerson and O’Day, Inc. who are based in Bangor and have worked on a number of LEED certified projects in Maine.
