Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn & Terrana headquarters achieves LEED Silver

According to Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn & Terrana, LLP, it has been awarded LEED Silver established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) with regard to its new office headquarters. LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. "We are proud to be a leader among our peers by striving for a LEED certified interior for our law firm, affirming our firm's commitment to maintain an eco-friendly presence and workplace environment," said managing partner, Jeffrey Forchelli. "We are the first LEED certified interior in the substantial RXR portfolio of office space on Long Island. More importantly, we are excited to be the first law firm on Long Island to achieve a LEED designation," said partner Brian Sahn who manages the firm's "green" and "sustainable" initiatives, and oversaw LEED certification process. "We frequently counsel our real estate clients about sustainable building processes. Being LEED Silver and having worked through the certification process not merely as an advisor but as a consumer provides us with a unique depth of understanding and experience that we can share with our clients that few other law firms can match," said Sahn. In 2009, the firm occupied 35,000 s/f for its new office headquarters at RXR Realty's The Omni building, 333 Earle Ovington Blvd. Suite 1010. LEED certification of the firm was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. This features included construction waste management for the build out of the turnkey space where nearly 75% of all construction debris was diverted from landfills and recycled. The firm implemented an internal office recycling program. The firm has reduced its carbon footprint by using energy saving measures such as purchasing energy star rated equipment for 90% of the office equipment. The use of energy saving light fixtures in the new offices has reduced the electrical usage for lighting by about 20%. Indoor air quality has been improved for the work environment through the use of low VOC or low off-gassing materials throughout the space. Enhanced control over the heating and ventilation of the space has resulted in a more comfortable workspace and increased energy savings. In addition, an energy commissioning program was implemented to further reduce energy usage and to ensure that all systems work properly and efficiently to maintain the reduction of energy usage. By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. "With each new LEED-certified building, we get one step closer to USGBC's vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn & Terrana, LLP is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement." Founded in 1976, Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn, & Terrana LLP is one of Long Island's most acclaimed and distinguished law firms. With offices in Uniondale and Melville, NY, the Firm is conveniently located for clients in Nassau and Suffolk. The Firm employs nearly 50 attorneys who provide counsel to a broad range of clients, including national, regional and local businesses, major real estate developers and organizations, banks, insurance companies, municipalities, educational institutions, and individuals. Personal attention and quality representation that is both practical and cost-effective are hallmarks of the Firm's policy towards clients. The Washington, D.C. based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 155,000 LEED professional credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. Buildings in the U.S. are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs. The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 32,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 9.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. USGBC was co-founded by current president and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation.