Green in West Michigan
In keeping with our long tradition of caring about the community's future, West Michigan has gone green — in a big way. A full 11 percent of all LEED-certified buildings can be found in the Grand Rapids area, more than any other city in the nation. From the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the first LEED-certified art museum in the world, to the countless new buildings that have been designed using green principles, our communities are leading the Green Wave.
Recognized for Sustainability Efforts by U.S. Chamber
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In May 2010, Grand Rapids was awarded by the U.S. Chamber's Business Civic Leadership Center as they most sustainable community of its size in the nation.
The Siemens Sustainable Community Awards recognize public-private coalitions for taking on the 21st century challenge of sustainable development. For more information on Grand Rapids' award, visit the U.S. Chamber's overview of Grand Rapids. |
Here are a few of the larger, more recent projects built to LEED certification:
- Grand Rapids Ballet performance hall
- 340-room J.W. Marriott hotel
- Grand Rapids Art Museum
- Grand Valley State University Engineering School
- Restored, century-old office building
- First restaurant in the Midwest to be LEED certified inside and out.
There are also many area schools working towards LEED certification. Even our Habitat for Humanity chapter has committed itself to building only LEED-certified homes.
A great article on Grand Rapids' Green Wave.