Going Green Has Never Been Easier!
Apr 7, 2009 11:21 pm US/Eastern
Miami Arena Is Certified 'Green'
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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American Airlines Arena nestled among Miami's downtown condos
CBS
The AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami is among the first of the country's sporting venues to meet new environmental standards set by the LEED building rating system, an independent group measuring green compliance across the country.
Miami Mayor Manny Diaz underscored the certification on Tuesday with Miami Heat executives as he focused on leading Miami into the green building movement.
The mayor added, "We're at Ground Zero on the issue of global warming. Some scientific models have this area underwater in the next 50 to 100 years if we are not careful. So we can be a prime example of how to be proactive to the rest of the world. "
To get certified, the facility was reviewed from top to bottom to make sure it was energy efficient and waste conscious, from the proper lighting, to the proper landscaping, and even the right kind of carpeting.
Kim Stone from the AmericanAirlines arena elaborated, "This carpet is designed to hold the dirt and with more than a million and a half visitors a year, that is important… it improves the air quality."
Even the restrooms are environmentally friendly. Most toilets use about three gallons of water when they flush, but the arena's use only one-and-a-half gallons.
Eric Woolworth is an executive with the Heat organization who at the day's presentation, "I think it provides a good platform for us to make the case that we are taking the lead. We could use it to attract entertainment acts that only want to play at a green venue."
Mayor Diaz hopes Miami's push to go green goes from commercial to residential areas, and hopes to soon announce some incentives to make that happen.
Earlier this week, Philips Arena, home to the Atlanta Thrashers hockey club, achieved LEED certification for Existing Building, Operations and Maintenance.
LEED stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" and represents independent, third-party verification for green building programs meeting water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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