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SAN DIEGO, Calif.—April 15, 2010—Barona
Resort & Casino announced that it has achieved Gold certification
from the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) rating system.
According to a releae from the resort, Barona is the first Tribal
resort in the nation to earn the internationally recognized
certification for the design and operation of high performance green
buildings.
“The Barona Resort & Casino’s LEED for Existing Buildings Gold
certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” Rick
Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building
Council, said in the announcement. “The most sustainable way to green
the built environment is through retrofitting existing buildings.
Barona can look forward to increased water and energy savings
throughout the lifecycle of the facility.”
According to the resort, for more than a year, staff members have been
working toward certification under the LEED program, which encompasses
all aspects of building management and maintenance.
“We are honored to receive this prestigious recognition from the U.S.
Green Building Council and think that it is an important milestone for
Barona,” Rick Salinas, general manager of Barona Resort & Casino,
said in announcing the certification. “This achievement sends a clear
message about Barona’s commitment to sustainability. LEED was in its
infancy when we built our resort so the opportunity to retrofit our
building to high-performance green benchmark is a major accomplishment
for our team. We would also like to encourage other properties to join
us in working towards more sustainable operations. What might seem to
be an impossible task is entirely possible and the right thing to do.”
LEED Gold Certification of the resort was based on a number of green
design and construction features that positively impact the project
itself and the broader community. A few of these key features include
Barona’s extensive recycling efforts, including the recycling of paper,
cardboard, batteries, plastic, electronics, Styrofoam and guestroom
soap; the use of green maintenance and cleaning products; a shuttle
program for guests and staff to reduce the property’s carbon footprint;
parking spaces designated for alternative fuel vehicles; and an
educational program about Barona’s environmental efforts which is
available to staff as well as resort guests.
Buildings achieving LEED-EB certification must meet minimum standards
in critical performance categories including energy efficiency, water
efficiency, waste management, and indoor air quality. In addition,
buildings must achieve a minimum number of credits or ‘points’ by
documenting the implementation of sustainable practices.
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