Fayetteville, Arkansas, building receives LEED Platinum certification

A downtown Fayetteville, Arkansas, building has received a LEED Platinum certification, the highest certification in the third-party system, a report by the Fayetteville Flyer says. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a third-party green building certification system from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The building, which houses architecture studio Modus Studio, is the first Platinum certification in the state, the report says. Modus Studio also designed the project.

According to the report, more than 87 percent of the construction debris generated on-site was recycled. More than 97 percent of the building’s original structural elements were reused and 100 percent of the interior paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants, composite wood, agrifiber products and flooring systems contain little to no volatile organic content (VOC).

Other site, water energy, materials and indoor environmental quality elements include:

• 31 percent reduction of potable water use through the installation of efficient faucet, toilet and urinal fixtures;
• 21 percent improvement of energy efficiency by meeting the ASHRAE 90.1-2007 energy efficiency standard; and
• green landscaping features such as drought-resistant landscaping, native plants chosen to attract pollinators, a water-permeable parking area, a green roof and a rainwater cistern.

The report says the burnt finish on the building requires no maintenance, is resistant to insects, fire and moisture and it projected to last for 80 years without the use of chemicals.

The building was built in 1955 and was originally a warehouse for Ozarks Electric Cooperative, Fayetteville, Arkansas. Later on, it became a television studio. Modus and Specialized Real Estate Group purchased the building and fully renovated it in 2013. The report says the building serves as offices spaces for Modus and Specialized Real Estate as well as a barbershop and a second-story apartment with a rooftop deck.