Pikes Peak Regional Development Center Receives LEED Certification

BOULDER, COLORADO April 3, 2006 - The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded Certification in Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) to Pikes Peak Regional Development Center (PPRDC). The project's success was in part due to Architectural Energy Corporation (AEC), who served as the Commissioning Agent.

The USGBC's website (www.usgbc.org) is now updated to show that on November 28, 2005, PPRDC in Colorado Springs, CO achieved a (LEED) Silver rating with 38 points-just one credit shy of a Gold Certification! This new PPRDC facility (www.pprbd.org) is approximately 112,000 gsf and is organized on three levels. PPRDC is a pioneer building with many alternative Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and lighting strategies.

The project team treated PPRDC HVAC and lighting systems with AEC's comprehensive and systematic commissioning process from design development, thru construction, and warranty phases. As a result, these systems are shaving demand electricity (peak kW), as well as reducing energy charges (kWh) per final design energy model comparisons with an ASHRAE baseline building. Using LEED's energy cost budget method calculations, this facility is currently saving more than 50% over the baseline building annual energy costs. Among other accomplishments, this building keeps its only chiller off for much of the daylight hours including times of peak demand even during the hottest times of the year.