Destiny USA achieves LEED Gold certification from USGBC

According to Destiny USA, on February 6, the 1.3 million s/f expansion of Carousel Center achieved official LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). This accomplishment makes Destiny USA the largest LEED Gold certified super-regional shopping center in the country. In its industry-leading role, Destiny USA successfully implemented a model of advanced and innovative sustainability to achieve LEED Gold certification, including: * Four million gallons of water will be conserved annually through the rainwater harvesting system, a 78% reduction in the building's baseline water use. This initiative earned the project a LEED Exemplary Performance Credit. * Destiny USA's purchase of over 11 million kilowatt hours of Green Power earned the project a LEED Exemplary Performance Credit. The Indoor Air Quality protection plan included the use of only low or zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) products and the protection of the building's air handling systems and material from contaminants during construction, creating enhanced indoor air and environmental quality for Destiny's construction workers, tenants and the public. Over 90% of all materials used for construction were diverted from landfills through a disciplined and holistic Construction Resource Management program. 7,000 tons of fly ash, a waste byproduct of coal burning, was mixed into the concrete flooring, 23,000 tons of 95% recycled steel and 276,000 gallons of bio-diesel fuel were used. This soy based bio-diesel fuel reduced construction related greenhouse gases by 67%. For this achievement, Destiny USA was awarded a LEED Innovation Credit. A solar reflective "cool" roof with refracting technology creates a beneficial microclimate and conserves energy by keeping the surrounding air at cooler temperatures. The flooring within the expansion is made of crushed walnut shells and cork, a rapidly renewing product. Forest Stewardship Council certified wood was also used for more than 50% of all permanently installed wood structures on the project. 22 tenants are currently registered with the USGBC and working toward individual LEED certification, demonstrating Destiny's commitment to profitably enhance the sustainability of the retail and contracting industries. These include Saks Off 5th, BCBG MaxAzria, Michael Kors, Gordon Biersch, and Toby Keith's I love This Bar and Grill, among others. "Achieving LEED Gold is an extraordinary accomplishment," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC, and Syracuse native. "Destiny USA is of a size and significance that it has a unique opportunity to educate the thousands of customers who visit each day about high-performance, energy-efficient, healthy green buildings. It's a tremendous model for other retail and commercial enterprises for whom sustainable construction and development are operational imperatives." "This is a life-long dream for me and a mile-marker in my work as a contractor and a developer," said Bob Congel. "The City of Syracuse has produced a remarkable number of LEED certified projects and I am proud Destiny USA is joining a growing list of eco-friendly buildings. It is an added feature to the dynamic tenant mix and entertainment destination that we are pulling together." Working to merge economic development with environmental sustainability has been a long time in the making for Robert Congel. Since hosting a Green conference at Savannah Dhu Conference Center in 2002, Congel has made it a mission to develop Destiny USA in a sustainable manner. Melissa Perry, director of sustainability at Destiny USA, said, "I am thrilled with this tremendous accomplishment and appreciative of the level of support provided by the U.S. Green Building Council throughout the project's development. This is an important milestone in our green journey and it shows people that with collaboration and support, even the most challenging sustainability goals can be achieved." Destiny USA and the United States Green Building Council will host a formal certification ceremony this spring.