U.S. Customs Office Achieves LEED Silver Certification; Prefabrication of Modular Buildings Proves an Effective and Sustainable Method

Phoenix, AZ, September 27, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The U.S. Customs Field Operations Facility in Sells, Arizona recently earned LEED for New Construction Silver level certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The building is home to the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Department and resides on the Tohono O’Odham Nation Reservation.

The 10,092 square foot expansion took on a unique approach in that 60% of the building was prefabricated at an off-site location and moved to the project site in twelve unique modular units. “We are especially excited to have been involved in this project since the prefabrication strategy used is the future of the construction industry, in my opinion,” stated Charlie Popeck, President of Green Ideas. “This method of modular construction allowed the project team to implement sustainable strategies in a controlled environment, increasing the quality of construction and reducing construction waste by 89% while minimizing habitat disturbance.”

Notable features of the building include extensive architectural shading features to control solar heat gain, use of drought-tolerant and native landscaping to reduce irrigation needs, and energy efficient lighting and daylighting strategies. The building uses 45% less water and 24% less energy than a typical new building.

The project was a collaborative effort led by Green Ideas Sustainability Consultants, Davis Enterprises, Accelerated Construction Technologies, Inc., and Logan E. Van Sittert Architects. Green Ideas served as the LEED Consultant. The U.S. Customs Office is the 56th LEED Certified project completed by Green Ideas.

About Green Ideas Sustainability Consultants
Green Ideas is an industry leader specializing in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Consulting including charrette facilitation, programming assistance and certification services. Established in 2002, Green Ideas is a full-service sustainability consulting firm offering corporate sustainability services, educational programs, product evaluation and marketing services, energy management and world-class green building consulting services. Its clients are building owners, architects, engineers, contractors, utilities and green product manufacturers as well as corporate entities wishing to establish business advantages through sustainable practices. With a vision as bold as the results they achieve, Green Ideas is dedicated to transforming the market by promoting sustainability through a “triple bottom line” approach. Green Ideas President Charlie Popeck can be reached at Charlie@Egreenideas.com or 602-635-7925.