USGBC Awards Sterling Cottages at West End LEED® Gold Certification

GREENSBORO, N.C., Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sterling Cottages at West End was awarded LEED Gold certification by the US Green Building Council for achievement in green building and design. LEED for Homes is a certification program that rewards energy and resource efficient design and construction practices. LEED for Homes certification requires the completion of a rigorous process that performs home energy (HERS) ratings, as well as rigorous onsite inspections to verify each home is built to be energy and water efficient, environmentally sound, and a healthier place to live.

Sterling Cottages at West End is the only off-campus student housing community in Greensboro that has been certified using LEED. The community was built by an affiliate of The Dinerstein Companies, which is known for their expertise in developing LEED certified student and conventional communities. Green apartments may have substantially lower utility bills[1] and an improved indoor air quality. Through their commitment to developing green communities, The Dinerstein Companies is helping to make sustainable living more accessible to student living.

According to Nate Kredich, Vice President of Residential Market Development with the USGBC, "Dinerstein's commitment to LEED for Homes is truly remarkable."

About Sterling Cottages at West End

Located minutes from University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Sterling Cottages at West End offers an unparallel student living experience with unique two-story townhomes and cottage flats. The community focuses heavily on reducing energy use and encouraging sustainable living practices. The project features low-e argon windows, high-efficiency lighting fixtures and compact fluorescent bulbs. Other energy efficiency upgrades include programmable thermostats, high-efficiency irrigation system, as well as high-grade air filters (MERV 8).  

About USGBC

The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Since USGBC's founding in 1993, USGBC has grown to more than 18,000 member companies and organizations and a comprehensive suite of LEED green building certification systems. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations all sharing USGBC commitment to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. Visit http://www.usgbc.org for more information.

About LEED for Homes

LEED for Homes is a third-party certification system for building and designing high-performance green homes that are energy- and resource-efficient and healthy for their occupants. Developed and administered by USGBC, LEED for Homes awards points to projects in eight categories of environmental performance: Innovation & Design Process, Location & Linkages, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, and Awareness & Education. To date, more than 5,000 homes have achieved certification with LEED for Homes program, and over 20,000 have registered and are in process. For more information, visit http://www.usgbc.org/homes.

About Sterling University Housing

Sterling University Housing is a national leader in the development, construction and management of off campus student housing communities. Sterling is an affiliate of The Dinerstein Companies, one of the largest developers of luxury, green apartments in the U.S.

[1] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR (2007). Residential Home Improvement: An Overview of Energy Use and Energy Efficient Opportunities (August 2007).

Contact Information:

Misti Morales
EMAIL: [email protected]

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Sterling University Housing