June 8, 2010

CBS Rentals and Martin Horn kicked off the first LEED-registered apartment building in Charlottesville, the Greenhouse apartment building, on Tuesday.

Once demolition of the original building is complete, the new building will span from 14th to 15th Streets. The Greenhouse will be the greenest apartment building in Charlottesville, giving University of Virginia students the opportunity to live Green and support a sustainable environment.

LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

Seventy-five percent of the materials used in construction will have been manufactured within 500 miles to cut transportation emissions. More than 90 percent of the original building's construction materials will be recycled.

The building will also feature solar panels to provide light for the common hallway and stairwell lighting.

Beyond being a LEED-designed building, developers wanted to make the Greenhouse comfortable and visually appealing inside and out.