|
 |
| National Life Group Press |
|
National Life Group Joins U.S. Green Building Council
|
(February 22, 2007) - Montpelier, VT - National Life Group has joined the
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC),
the nation’s foremost coalition of leaders from every sector of the building industry, working
to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.
The U.S. Green Building Council's core purpose is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed,
built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment
that improves the quality of life.
Additionally, the company is actively working to achieve Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the USGBC at the Montpelier campus.
The LEED Green Building Rating System™ is a nationally accepted benchmark for the
design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. A whole-building approach to
sustainability is recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable
site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
|
|
National Life has had a long history of environmental consciousness, including:
- An active and long-standing recycling program. Cafeteria food waste is composted, waste cooking oil
goes to biodiesel. shredded paper is used for bedding at a local dairy farm and paper is recycled along with
plastic and metals. An investment in imaging technology allows many business areas to work with far less paper.
- An effort to reduce consumption of nonrenewable energy. Lighting fixtures and bulbs have been replaced
with more energy efficient options, and new technology is constantly being evaluated to determine whether more energy efficient
or cost effective options are available. All fluorescent bulbs go to a reclamation facility where the mercury and other components
are removed and recycled.
- Replacement of computer monitors. CRT monitors have been replaced with newer LCD monitors, which
reduces the amount of heat generated. LCD monitors have a longer life and don’t produce as much toxic waste as CRTs when they are retired.
- Heating system upgrade. Older boilers were replaced with more efficient models, and an upgrade to the perimeter
heating system has resulted in reductions in fuel oil consumption and a better insulated building.
- Roof replacement. A new roof on the building reflects heat during the summer, and new insulation helps reduce
heat loss in the winter. We are currently seeing a 27% reduction in fuel use per degree day, much of which can be attributed to the
newly insulated roof.
- Windows. Clear glass windows in the building were replaced with tinted glass, which reduced the solar load on
the building and made it much more economical to cool in the summer.
The USGBC has more than 7,500 member organizations and a network of 75 regional chapters united to advance the
mission of transforming the building industry to sustainability. National Life Group is also a member of the
Vermont Green Building Network,
the Vermont Chapter of the USGBC.
|
|
|
|
