Ecology & Environment's headquarters awarded LEED platinum certification

Built in 1988, Ecology and Environment's (E & E's) headquarters received platinum-level LEED certification by the USGBC. The building is one of the first in NYS and the oldest in the world to obtain platinum certification, an achievement that underscores the firm's role as a leader in corporate sustainability services."Over 20 years ago, before LEED or 'green building' were common terms, we designed our worldwide headquarters to embody the environmental ethics we practiced," said Kevin Neumaier, E & E's senior VP for sustainability. "Achieving LEED platinum reaffirms we are a leader in our field." LEED provides third-party verification that a building meets the highest standards in green building performance. When E & E applied, the company already had established a number of green practices. Neumaier said, "Due to our original design and operational procedures, we did not significantly retrofit our building in order to qualify." Rick Fedrizzi, president/CEO & founding chair of the USGBC said that E & E is a "premier example of a company that truly practices what they preach. The efforts taken by the company to attain platinum-level certification are nothing short of exemplary." "This building has been the ideal place to develop solutions for sustainability," said Neumaier. "For 20 years we've been able to see what works and what's practical." E & E is a leader in innovative solutions for climate change, building energy efficiency, sustainability, renewable energy, and other environmental concerns.