Cotman Vistas Receives LEED Certification
Cotman Vistas, built by Maximum Accessible Housing of Ohio and Testa Builders, Inc. was awarded LEED Silver certification by U.S. Green Building Council on January 31, 2014. The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Visit www.usgbc.org for more information.
LEED is a rating system that measures how green a building is. All around the world, LEED is the standard for green buildings; offices, hospitals, schools, stores and homes. There are more than 10,000 LEED-certified buildings worldwide. LEED is the most difficult green building certification to achieve.
LEED certification signifies that a building was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
MAHO is committed to providing accessible and affordable housing that is also environmentally sustainable. Water conservation was a big part of the design of Cotman Vistas. The bathrooms feature water-saving faucets in order to maximize water conservation. Electrical usage is managed using motion-activated lights in the hallways, laundry and garbage rooms. The materials used in the construction of the building are all environmentally-friendly and non-toxic. Airflow intake units in the units were designed to provide fresh air to the tenants. Cleaning materials used in the building are environmentally and health friendly and vacuum cleaners have HEPA filters.
The sustainable design has increased the quality of life for our tenants. Kathy Kwasniewski, who moved to Cotman Vistas from the old Circle Vistas building, said, “The air quality in the apartments is much better, and I have an easier time breathing and I sleep better.” Kathy also appreciates the accessibility and ease of the motion-activated lights.
We are very appreciative to have received LEED Silver certification and look to be an example for both green and accessible building in the area.