Key West Weather Forecast Office Recognized as LEED Certified “Green” Building

Ron Trumbla
Office of Communications, NWS Southern Region HQ

March 24, 2009 — The National Weather Service forecast office in Key West, Fla., has been recognized as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified green building by the U.S. Green Building Council. It is one of only three LEED-certified facilities in the National Weather Service and one of only five in NOAA.

“LEED certification is an important component of all new construction projects in NOAA and the National Weather Service as we seek to reduce our energy consumption and increase our use of recycled materials,” noted Terrance Brisbin, project engineer at the Key West forecast office.

LEED-certified buildings are designed to use key resources more efficiently than conventional buildings that are simply built to code. LEED buildings also provide work and living environments, which contribute to higher productivity and improved employee health and comfort. Since launching in 1998, the LEED program has grown to encompass more than 14,000 projects in all 50 U.S. states and 30 other countries.

The U.S. Green Building Council is a non-profit trade organization that promotes sustainability in building design, construction, and operation. The Council has more than 15,000 member organizations from every sector of the building industry.

In addition to being a LEED-certified building, the Key West forecast office is the first designed to withstand wind speeds and storm surge levels associated with a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane. Constructed with a combination of concrete, reinforcing steel and hurricane impact-resistant glass, the facility was built to withstand sustained winds of 165 mph. The interior contains an additional concrete structure designed to serve as a Severe Weather Occupancy Shelter to protect against winds up to 250 mph.