Casey Family Programs Headquarters Achieves LEED Gold Designation

SEATTLE, July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The new headquarters of Casey Family Programs has achieved LEED Gold status, making it among the most energy efficient and environmentally sustainable offices in the Seattle area.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a program created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to recognize outstanding efforts in the design, construction and operation of high-performance, environmentally-friendly buildings.

Based in Seattle, Casey Family Programs is the nation's largest operating foundation working in partnership with public child welfare agencies and other organizations to improve the lives of vulnerable children and their families.

Achieving the LEED Gold status was a priority for the Casey Family Programs Board of Trustees and Executive Team, who felt strongly that creating an environmentally-responsible workplace reflected the foundation's core values of stewardship and innovation.

"As an operating foundation, we work every day to improve the futures of the approximately 408,000 children in our nation's foster care system," said Shelia Evans-Tranumn, who chairs the Board of Trustees. "That means not only improving the opportunities they have to succeed in life, but also doing our part as an organization to preserve the natural world in which they will live."

Casey Family Programs moved into three-and-a-half floors of the 28-story West 8th building in downtown Seattle in December and was able to design and build a workspace for its approximately 200 headquarters staff that uses less energy, water and other natural resources.

Thanks to careful planning, innovative design, effective programs and efficient systems, Casey Family Programs and its Building Services team was able to:

• Reduce water usage 33 percent through more efficient appliances, fixtures and fittings in the restrooms, break rooms and showers.
• Cut its energy footprint by 25 percent by using daylight adjustable lighting, occupancy sensors, high-efficiency lighting fixtures, energy-efficient appliances and heating and ventilation systems.
• More than doubling transit ridership by locating close to public transportation hubs, providing Orca transit passes to all employees and eliminating parking subsidies.
• Recycle 95 percent of all construction waste and use recycled materials in floors, ceilings and furniture.
• Utilize fresh, outside air as part of its efficient heating and ventilation system and use only low Volatile Organic Compounds materials such as caulking and paint during construction.
• Use only environmentally-friendly cleaning products and practices in maintaining the building.

"Casey Family Programs considers the earning of LEED Gold status as a tremendous boost to our environmental stewardship efforts," said William C. Bell, president and CEO. "Much credit goes to our staff, which has embraced our work on environmental sustainability with the same type of passion and concern that they bring to their work on behalf of children and families."

One of the reasons Casey Family Programs selected the West 8th high-rise, developed by Touchstone West 8th Building, LLC, is that the building's core and shell also had received a LEED Gold certificate, ensuring that not only the organization's workspace, but the entire building, was environmentally sustainable.  

Casey Family Programs achieved the second highest of the four levels of certification – certified, silver, gold, and platinum.

Olson Sundberg Kundig and Allen designed the interiors which were constructed by Skanska USA. Rushing Blackbird was the LEED consultant for Casey Family Programs.

About Casey Family Programs

Casey Family Programs is the nation's largest operating foundation focused entirely on foster care and improving the child welfare system. Founded in 1966, we work to provide and improve – and ultimately prevent the need for – foster care in the United States. As champions for change, we are committed to our 2020 Strategy for America's Children – a goal to safely reduce the number of children in foster care and improve the lives of those who remain in care.

Contact Casey Family Programs at [email protected], 206.282.7300, or 2001 Eighth Avenue, Suite 2700, Seattle, WA 98121. For more information, visit our website at www.casey.org.

SOURCE Casey Family Programs