Rich Fedrizzi at the LEED-ND launch event
MPC joined the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), Congress for New Urbanism (CNU), and a host of industry leaders in celebrating the official launch of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) rating system today. The launch event, held at Block 37 – a LEED-ND pilot project – included speeches from many of the people who were instrumental in forming the LEED-ND rating system, including Doug Farr, president of Farr Associates, Henry Henderson from the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Doug Widener, executive director of the USGBC Chicago Chapter. S. Richard Fedrizzi, president, CEO, and founding chair of the USGBC joined the festivities.
Through LEED-ND, the widely recognized LEED rating system expands beyond building design to encourage walkable, energy-efficient neighborhoods. LEED-ND promotes compact, mixed-use development, housing near jobs and transit, pedestrian and bicycle-friendly streets, and open space.
MPC has supported LEED-ND since its early stages, and recently helped shape the Regional Prioritization Credits for Illinois. The first project in Illinois to achieve LEED-ND, Whistler Crossing, began as a MPC and Urban Land Institute – Chicago Technical Assistance Panel in 2003 and was designed and managed by Farr Associates and Holsten Real Estate Development Corporation.
Congratulations to all of our partners in Chicago and nationwide on this exciting milestone!