The City of Shaker Heights announced today that it has achieved LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The City is part of a growing group to be certified using the USGBC’s LEED for Cities and Communities rating system. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the world’s most widely used green building rating system.
“We could not be more pleased with this acknowledgement and consider it a significant achievement,” said Mayor David E. Weiss. “We are committed to creating a more sustainable Shaker Heights and LEED Gold certification demonstrates the tremendous progress we have made so far.”
The City achieved LEED Gold certification for implementing measurable strategies and solutions aimed at improving sustainability and the standard of living for residents. LEED is designed to help communities achieve high performance in key areas of human and environmental health, including energy, water, waste, transportation, education, health, safety, prosperity and equity.
“The work of cities and communities such as Shaker Heights is a driving force in ensuring a more sustainable future for all,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “Cities and communities that achieve LEED certification are lowering carbon emissions, creating a healthier environment and striving to improve the quality of life for their residents. Shaker Heights is setting a standard for what it means to be a high performer and their efforts and achievements should be an example for all.”
Over the past two years, the City has worked to prioritize sustainability, both in City operations and in the broader community. This includes adding four public EV charging stations; adopting a 100 percent renewable electric plan for City buildings and streetlights; and implementing a community-wide composting program, among other steps.
“We look forward to continuing this momentum to make Shaker Heights a greener place to live and work,” said Mayor Weiss. “I would also like to thank Michael Peters, our sustainability coordinator, and City Council’s Sustainability Committee for their tremendous work – almost two years in total – on attaining LEED Gold certification. Additionally, our thanks to the U.S. Green Building Council for its invaluable support during the certification process and to Bank of America for providing the grant funding that allowed us to pursue LEED for Cities and Communities certification.”
Watch our video to learn about sustainability in Shaker Heights.