LEEDING the Way

A partnership between USPS and the City of Denver has resulted in an eco-friendly Post Office. The city’s Post Office Building, which houses the Mile High Station, recently earned the nation’s most prominent “green” building rating — LEED certification.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the U.S. Green Building Council’s nationally accepted rating system that measures the environmental attributes and sustainable features of buildings.

All LEED-certified buildings reduce water use by at least 37 percent, energy use by 30 percent and use 15 percent of recycled materials for construction. The idea for the Post Office Building began when Denver officials were searching for a place to build a new courthouse. Of all the sites they found, a spot occupied by the old Mile High Station was determined to be the best location. City officials promised to build a new, eco-friendly facility for the Postal Service in exchange for the postal property — an opportunity USPS welcomed.

“The project has benefited the city and the Postal Service,” Denver Postmaster Alan Catlin said. “It has proven to be an efficient, environmentally friendly building.”