January 2007

Santa Clarita Transit Maintenance Facility awarded LEED® Gold certification, sports Saint Astier® Natural Hydraulic Lime exterior finish

Just awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the new Santa Clarita Transit Maintenance Facility in Santa Clarita, CA, sports a Saint Astier® Natural Hydraulic Lime (NHL) plaster exterior and interior finish over a straw bale construction.

Completed in May 2006, and touted as a first for a government building—being constructed of straw bales—this LEED certification has attracted the attention of the press, including the Aug. 9, 2006 edition of the Wall Street Journal, and honorable recognition for the architectural firm of HOK Sustainable Design, making this their 12th project to earn a LEED recognition from the USGBC.

Among many of the building’s redeeming LEED qualities is that the lime plaster-straw bale combination allows for efficient, effective insulation, and a healthier environment due to a considerable reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to cement stucco.

“We were able to exceed California Energy Efficiency Standards by over 40 percent,” notes HOK Senior Project Manager, Charles Smith.