Video tour of a rare LEED-certified Platinum building

LEED-certified Platinum building

Are you curious about the sustainable real estate movement and want a peek inside to learn what that actually means or are you already a fan of green building methods? The video above is a behind the scenes look at Morris Arboretum at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia which is LEED-certified Platinum, the highest sustainable rating currently possible.

LEED is a green building certification with different ratings based on building features and Platinum is a rating rarely achieved.

Morris Arboretum features

The Morris Arboretum has many features that makes it the rare gem of Platinum LEED like:

1. Geothermal wells that heat and cool the building
2. Green roofs showcasing a variety of plants that reduces ambient temperature in the summer
3. Storm water collection system
4. A ground-source heat pump for heating and A/C
5. Photovoltaic panels for energy generation
6. Super insulation to eliminate infiltration of outside air
7. Maximized fresh air ventilation inside
8. Solar hot water heaters
9. Storm water collection for use in flushing toilets and irrigation
10. Skylights, photocell sensors and roof monitors to minimize energy use
11. Green roofs to capture and absorb rain and to help reduce the ambient temperature during the summer

The architects are Overland Partners of San Antonio, Muscoe Martin of Philadelphia’s M2 Architecture and Adropogon Associates.