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American Red Cross of Ventura County is First Chapter in the Country to “Go Green”

Camarillo, Calif. – With public awareness of global warming and environmental issues at an all time high, “going green” seems to be the wave of the future. Many organizations are doing their part in helping the environment by adapting their building codes and business practices.

The American Red Cross of Ventura County is no exception. In fact, the American Red Cross of Ventura County is the first Red Cross chapter in the country, and the first non-profit entity in Ventura County to “go green.”

How? The American Red Cross of Ventura County is currently renovating its Camarillo headquarters to be LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified with a silver certification. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, the LEED Green Building Rating System is the industry-recognized, voluntary standard that defines high performance green buildings. Green buildings are healthier, more environmentally responsible and more profitable structures.

The LEED Green Building Rating System is the national benchmark for high performance green buildings. The rating system identifies prerequisites and choices in five categories including sustainable site planning, safeguarding water and water efficiency, energy efficiency and renewable energy, conservation of materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality.

“The project has set tough goals for materials re-use and construction debris recycling,” stated Mike Ross, LEED Accredited Professional and Project Volunteer for the American Red Cross of Ventura County. “In addition, the team has made many smart design decisions, which will reduce energy and water consumption, while minimizing environmental impact upfront and over its lifecycle,” he added.

The expansion project at the Red Cross will contain many elements, including efficient water fixtures, lighting, high-performances appliances, recycled content construction materials, wood products from certified renewable sources and more. Measures will be taken to improve indoor air quality, including the use of low-emitting materials. Access to daylight and views will be maintained whenever possible.

According to Chris Johnson, Chief Executive Officer for the American Red Cross of Ventura County, the project lends itself to several side benefits as the building goes green. “There are a number of advantages to going green -- not only do we help the environment, but by conserving water and using less energy, we are better able to utilize funds in serving our community,” he noted.

It takes a team of professionals to pull off a project such as this. Besides Mike Ross, Chris Johnson is joined by a group of other talented volunteers who are donating their time and services. These professionals include Al Lowe Construction in Oxnard who is donating some construction services on the new building. According to Jason Hardy, Project Manager at Al Lowe Construction, the Camarillo building will be revamped to better use the existing space. “We will basically create a better workplace and environment,” stated Hardy. “The process will involve tearing down walls and adding new ones. This will result in the better utilization of space, while reusing as many materials as possible to follow the LEED practices,” he added.

“Going green really goes along with the mission statement for the American Red Cross,” stated Mike Ross. “Sustainable practices reduce carbon emissions which are linked to climate change, and the Red Cross has to deal with climate changes on a regular basis with the natural disasters that occur,” he continued. “By being proactive, the American Red Cross is doing their part to maintain a healthy environment,” he added.

Chris Johnson concurred, “The Red Cross of Ventura County is committed to being a good community partner. The savings that result from “going green” will provide our amazing volunteers with additional resources to provide critically needed support to those in need,” stated Johnson.

LEED Green Building Rating System was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. Since its inception in 1998, LEED has grown to encompass over 14,000 projects in 50 US States and 30 countries. It was originally spearheaded by Robert K. Watson, founding chairman for the LEED Steering Committee. From 1994 to 2006, LEED grew from one standard for new construction to a comprehensive system of six interrelated standards covering all aspects of the development and construction process.

Green buildings are designed, constructed and operated to enhance the well-being of their occupants, and to support a healthy community and natural environment. They are instrumental in helping society achieve the “triple bottom line” of economic, environmental and social success.

In addition, the Wall Street Journal recently named green building one of the top 10 trends in architecture. According to a study by the U.S. Green Building Council, the annual market for green building products and services grew 34% from 2003 to 2004. Research led by the Green Building Alliance indicates that using conservative projections, “the green building products market will be worth $30-$40 billion annually by 2010.”

The completion of the American Red Cross Camarillo building is projected for the end of October.

Since 1917, the American Red Cross of Ventura County has been meeting needs throughout the communities it serves. Each year, more than 1,200 local volunteers respond to more than 50 local disasters, teach tens of thousands of individuals vital lifesaving skills, and support the men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces. The American Red Cross is not a government agency. For more information, or to get involved in the “going green” project, call the American Red of Ventura County at 805-987-1514.