Lutron’s  Washington, D.C. Commercial Experience Center specifically showcases commercial products in use in a variety of vignettes (conference rooms, offices and more).    PHOTO COURTESY OF LUTRON

Energy-saving light control manufacturer Lutron Electronics announced that its Washington, D.C. Commercial Experience Center was awarded LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the USGBC’s leading rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy-efficient and high-performing buildings.

Lutron Experience Centers are showcases of Lutron’s most impactful residential and commercial products and solutions. The Washington, D.C. facility specifically showcases commercial products in use in a variety of vignettes (conference rooms, offices and more).

“We’re pleased to have achieved USGBC’s LEED Gold Certification,” said Andy Wakefield, director of Government Solutions at Lutron. “Knowing that our products contributed not only to our Gold certification, but to dozens of other building certifications throughout the country, shows how impactful Lutron products and solutions can be to a building’s control strategy.”

The Experience Center was designed by D.C.-based architectural firm Interplan Incorporated to achieve LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. LEED verifies environmental performance, occupant health and financial return. LEED was established for market leaders to design and  construct buildings that protect and save precious resources while also making good economic sense.

“The strength of USGBC has always been the collective strength of our leaders in the building industry," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, chief executive officer and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "Given the extraordinary importance of climate protection and the central role of the building industry in that effort, Lutron demonstrates their leadership through their LEED certification of their Washington, D.C. Experience Center.”

LEED certification of the Lutron facility was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features include: optimization of energy performance through the use of lighting power, lighting controls and HVAC, plus the use of daylight.

Per the rating system, the space scored 63 out of 110 possible points. Of those 63 points, Lutron products and solutions contributed 19 points. Lutron products can help contribute up to 41 points on a project, making them effective, energy-saving solutions for any space.

About the U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org) The USGBC is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. Since UGSBC’s founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 17,000 member companies and organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED® green building rating systems, an expansive educational offering, the industry’s popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org), and a network of 78 local chapters, affiliates and organizing groups.

About LEED (www.usgbc.org) The LEED Green Building Rating System is a feature-oriented rating system that awards buildings points for satisfying specified green building criteria. The six major environmental categories of review include: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation and Design. Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of LEED green building certification are awarded based on the total number of points earned within each LEED category. LEED can be applied to all building types including new construction, commercial interiors, core & shell developments, existing buildings, homes, neighborhood developments, schools and retail facilities. Incentives for LEED are available at the state and local level and LEED has also been adopted nationwide by federal agencies, state and local governments, and interested private companies.

About Lutron Electronics (www.lutron.com) Lutron Electronics, headquartered in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, designs and manufactures energy-saving lighting controls, automated window treatments and appliance modules for both residential and commercial applications. Its innovative, intuitive products can be used to control everything from a single light, to every light, shade and even stand-by power in a home or commercial building. Lutron products make any space more versatile, while enhancing ambiance, comfort and productivity. They also save energy and make light bulbs last longer, making them an eco-friendly addition to the home and workplace. Founded in 1961, Lutron estimates that the installed base of its products saves the nation nearly 10 billion kWh of electricity, or approximately $1 billion in utility costs per year. Lutron manufactures more than 16,000 energy-saving products, sold in more than 100 countries around the world