NEW HEAD START CENTER ATTAINS LEED GOLD CERTIFICATION
The U.S. Green Building Council has awarded the Lillie M. Williams Head Start Center LEED Gold status. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is the USGBC's rating system for the design and construction of energy-efficient and high-performing buildings. This project supports Miami-Dade County’s Sustainable Building Ordinance which was adopted to establish a green building standard for County buildings. The Lillie M. Williams Head Start Center is the seventh project to earn this prestigious certification. Other projects certified under this program include: The Internal Services Department’s (ISD) Trades Shop, which was the first County project to achieve LEED Silver certification; the Verde Gardens Project in Homestead, which was the first LEED Gold certified homeless sheltering project in Florida; the MIA Mover APM System Project which was issued LEED Gold Certification; the Miami Marlins Ballpark which is the first retractable roof facility in the world to receive LEED Gold certification; the ISD West Lot office and parking facility which was issued a LEED Gold certification in September 2013, and Port of Miami’s Cruise Terminal D Expansion which received LEED Silver certification in September 2013.
The Lillie M. Williams Head Start Center, shown below, opened August 18, 2014. This is the first Head Start Center in Miami-Dade County to attain LEED Gold, the second-highest of LEED's four levels of certification.
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A Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum level of LEED certification is awarded based on the total number of points earned within six categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design.