A Platinum Letter Day

Last week I did a presentation on green marketing, and in the cab back from the airport (trip somewhat offset with the help of Terrapass), I found a platinum wedding band. It made me a little sad on behalf of the owner, especially since I never got an inquiry to the lost and found notice I posted. Dang... PLATINUM.

The next day, I had another platinum find: the story of the new National Audubon Society headquarters in NYC. I was invited to attend a screening of the before/after video about their office space, which received the highest point total of any commercial interior in the world evaluated for LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The Platinumest of the platinum. Dang!


The teamwork and the thought and planning that went into making this a crown jewel of environmental design was truly inspiring...even the very story itself: the 15 minute video by Grandview Island Productions helped earn them a point towards the rating as an eco-education aspect. But a lot of people put a lot of thought into this project. They had the blessing of building owner Trinity Real Estate, and FXFOWLE Architects went to work with some insights from YRG Consulting on sustainability and engineer brainiacs from Flack & Kurtz.

I think the thing that impressed me most -- more than the raised flooring that accommodates an air distribution system...or the handcrafted conference tables and paneling made from salvaged barns or fallen walnut trees...
... or the lights that automatically dim to adjust to the daylight present -- was the responsibility and innovation everyone on the team seemed to show. Some of the vendors were new to the world of sustainability, but were selected in part for that reason: they learned from experts, and now there are more sustainability pros out there making impact.


I've been a fan of one of the team companies for a long time: Herman Miller, who did the furniture. The before/after video was screened at their LEED gold certified showroom and I was kind of drooling at my surroundings. Happily, though, they are updating their Web site soon, so it should do a better job of showcasing online just how much thought they put into a triple bottom line.

Plus they had some chairs there that looked like something out of Batman VI. I love my vintage 1928 office chair, but my back is reminding me that ergonomics have improved in 80 years. So, in channeling The Secret, I'm just sayin':