Issaquah Highlands was named one of America’s Top 10 Green Built Neighborhoods in Natural Home Magazine May 2010 issue. To read the full article check out these links:

http://www.naturalhomemagazine.com/energy-efficiency/americas-top-ten-best-green-built-neighborhoods.aspx

http://www.jetsongreen.com/2010/04/top-10-green-built-neighborhoods.html

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The Northwest’s leading Green master planned community!

• All new homes meet a minimum Built Green® 4-Star rating
• All new homes ENERGY STAR® certified to reduce your energy bill
• Visit LEED® Silver certified Blakely Hall Community Center, Firehouse and Retail buildings.
• Learn about water conservation features
• Experience the Living Green lifestyle of so many Highlands residents
• Visit the American Lung Association of Washington demonstration home at West Highlands Park

For more info on Living Green at Issaquah Highlands visit: http://www.issaquahhighlands.com/living_green.php

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Designed by Seattle architecture firm CollinsWoerman, the 20,000 square feet of High Street retail was envisioned to provide eco-friendly retail space of the highest quality that integrated well into the overall design of the community. As one of the first multi-tenant retail projects to be certified in the LEED Core and Shell pilot program in the U.S., the High Street retail incorporates a range of new and innovative sustainable features, including Issaquah’s first “green roof.” Located atop Sorella Salon & Spa, the “green roof” reduces energy consumption for the building and filters stormwater run-off. The “green roof,” combined with additional eco-friendly roofing practices, also helps to reduce solar heat gain (the sun heating a building’s roof and the entire structure).

The High Street retail, which is positioned to become a model for developers and architects from across the country, features eco-friendly construction practices throughout. A portion of the buildings’ power comes from Green Power, a program of PSE. Thanks to the use of low-flow water fixtures, the tenants have reduced potable water use by an average of 20%, or 28,000 gallons, annually.

Even more impressive is the Gold certification awarded to the High Street office building, which houses various tenants, including Port Blakely Communities, developer of Issaquah Highlands. The building focuses on a reduction in energy consumption, conservation of natural resources and improved environment air quality designed to protect the health of the building’s occupants.“The LEED Gold Certification is a first for Issaquah Highlands – a community that is truly committed to environmental stewardship,” said Alan Boeker, president, Port Blakely Communities. “All residents can be proud of this building that represents the future of ‘green’ building practices.”

The building’s construction strongly emphasized waste reduction. In total, 84% of construction waste – more than 33 tons – was diverted from landfills and recycled. More than 10% of the materials used in construction contained recycled content, while 22% of the materials came from local manufacturers – directly supporting our local economy. By procuring materials from local manufacturers and distributors, the amount of fuel needed to ship materials long distances to the job site was reduced.

A “rain screen” is among the building’s most innovative construction features. Designed for extreme weather  conditions, the “rain screen” lets the building breathe by shedding water efficiently from both outside and within the wall cavity – even under 80mph winds and freezing temperatures, while still providing excellent thermal protection. But unlike most severe weather clothing, the “rain screen” is attractive and not visible to the passerby.

There are four levels of LEED Certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. The High Street retail and office buildings join two other prominent Issaquah Highlands landmarks in LEED Certification. In 2003, Fire Station #73 became the First LEED Silver Fire Station in the United States, and in 2005, Blakely Hall was awarded LEED Silver Certification. The LEED certification plaque for the High Street retail will be displayed in the common area plaza, which is located just outside Caffe Ladro. Stop by, take a look, and be proud that your community is continuing a proud tradition in leading the country in sustainable building and innovative practices.

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