Environmental Leader

Seattle’s Starbucks Center, built in 1912, is the largest and oldest building in the country to earn a national green certification for existing buildings. The 1.5 million square foot building recently receiving a LEED Gold rating, The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports.

In addition, Jim Hanna, environmental affairs manager for Starbucks, said the company worked with the U.S. Green Building Council since 2001 on a LEED standard that could certify a series of prototype Starbucks stores.

Green measures in the center include installation of energy-efficient lighting and waterless urinals; use of recycled office materials and green cleaning products; purchases of renewable energy for nearly 31 percent of the center’s electricity; encouragement of alternative transportation with steps like providing storage and changing rooms for bicyclists, Flexcars for employee use and preferred parking for alternative-energy vehicles; and diversion of 48 percent of the center’s waste from landfills.