Green for Governor

The Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence, a 42-year-old building in the Keystone State’s capital city of Harrisburg, has recently become LEED-Gold certified according to the guidelines of LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB), according to a recent press release.

"The greening of the Governor's Residence underscores our commitment to make state-owned buildings as energy-efficient as possible," said DGS Secretary James P. Creedon, who also serves as co-chairperson of the Governor's Green Government Council. "By using fewer resources, we are saving taxpayers' money while reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to a healthier environment."

Improvements in the Residence’s energy efficiency were achieved through the installation of an automated energy management system, a geothermal ground-source heat pump system, a humidification system, and high-efficiency motors for ventilation fans and water pumps. In addition, insulation was added to the Residence’s attic, and incandescent lights were replaced with fluorescent lighting.

Overall the Governor’s Residence earned 51 credits, making it the most credits garnered by any of the LEED-EB-certified Governor’s Residences in the country.

Originally constructed in 1968, the three-story structure comprises 28,500 square feet of space and 34 rooms. It includes three distinct zones: a public area, which takes up approximately half of the facility’s space; and office area; and a private living area. It has been home to every Pennsylvania governor since it was constructed.

The improvements made on the Residence are part of a statewide initiative that uses utility savings to pay for energy-efficiency upgrades, without any additional cost to taxpayers. This “budget-neutral” initiative is part of a Guaranteed Energy-Saving Act, or GESA. Under GESA, 44 of Pennsylvania’s state-owned buildings have been enhanced with energy-saving improvements, with another 24 projects in the pipeline.

The renovations to the Governor’s Residence were combined with similar measures taken at the Rachel Carson Building, located elsewhere in Harrisburg. Both projects will save approximately $10.4 million over the next 15 years in utility and operational savings, and will offset $8.1 million to improve both facilities, according to the article.

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Chris Timmerman
Contributing Writer
Green Education Services
www.greenedu.com