LEED certification is the recognized standard established to promote design and construction practices that increase profitability while reducing the negative environmental impacts of buildings and improving occupant health and well-being.
LEED evaluates buildings in five areas: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources and Indoor Environmental Quality.
As part of our environmental commitment, Apollo Group works closely with the following vendors that provide sustainable materials and promote environmentally responsible practices.
Design Tex: Upholstery and Wall Coverings
Haworth: Office Furniture
Herman Miller: Office Furniture
ICI Paints: Paint
Interface Flooring: Flooring, including Carpet, Tile and Raised Floors
What We're Doing: Green Building
We are excited about the sustainable design approach utilized at the new corporate offices, also known as the Riverpoint Center buildings. With help from Leadership Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accredited professionals, we were able to implement various strategies for the building’s design that reduce environmental impact and enhance the work atmosphere for the building occupants.
Some of the sustainable design strategies at the Riverpoint Center include:
Orientation: Orientation is critical to the performance of all structures. The optimum orientation for buildings in the desert climate is to have the long axis of a building run in the East/West direction. Riverpoint Center has an approximate 3:1 ratio of North/South to East/West exposure.
Daylight: Daylight is maximized in the building through its physical orientation and placement of the windows in the building. Virtually every occupant in the building has access to daylight and views. It is anticipated that we will not need to rely on artificial light at all times, due to the controlled sun light that will be available within the space.
Under Floor Air Distribution: Under floor air distribution is one of the most innovative and effective strategies used in the design of the Riverpoint Center. This feature provides every occupant with the ability to control their own thermal comfort, virtually eliminating the temperature issues that occur in most every office environment, increasing effectiveness and maximizing efficiency.
Local Materials: Many of the materials specified for the Riverpoint Center are manufactured or extracted in the region, reducing the carbon emissions resulting from transport.
Glass Quality: High performance insulated glass is used around the entire structure. This significantly reduces the heat gain and heat loss.
Water Efficient Landscape: The plant material utilized on the Riverpoint Center is appropriate for the desert climate and minimizes the amount of irrigation that is required.
Plumbing Fixtures: Low-flow fixtures are provided in all restrooms.
Sediment and Erosion Control: All storm water is collected and retained on site, which minimizes erosion and sediment run-off from the property.
Recycled Materials: When possible, materials with high recycled content were specified and installed in the Riverpoint Center.
Light Fixtures: Energy efficient light fixtures are used throughout the building, providing 33 percent energy savings over standard fixtures. In the parking structure, highly efficient fixtures were used to reduce the number of overall fixtures required.