SmartCity Malta’s first energy-efficient building SCM01 has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). The commemorative plaque was presented to SmartCity Malta CEO Fareed Abdulrahman by Resources and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino in the presence of Mepa CEO Ian Stafrace.

SCM01 is the first building in Malta to be awarded the LEED Silver certification by the USGBC, while SCM02 and SCM03 have been pre-certified to the silver rating.

SmartCity Malta’s SCM01 incorporates facilities for the improved usage of resources such as energy, lighting, water and materials as well as integrating a variety of other sustainable strategies.

The LEED certification was based on a number of green design and construction features that have a positive impact on the project, the workers and the wider community.

The implementation of sustainable features has helped achieve many savings, such as reducing the annual irrigation water consumption by 52.3 per cent and energy consumption by 17.6 per cent. Moreover 10.02 per cent of the total building material and products used have been extracted, harvested and manufactured within 500 miles of the site and 13.97 per cent of that material is comprised exclusively of pre and post-consumer recycled content.

Through the adoption of these sustainable measures, a LEED certified building saves money, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the community at large.

“Buildings are a prime example of how human systems integrate with natural systems,” said USGBC president and CEO Rick Fedrizzi. “The SmartCity Malta project efficiently uses natural resources and makes an immediate, positive impact on our planet, which will be of tremendous benefit to future generations.”

Mr Fareed said that increasing efficiency and reducing energy use were fundamental to the building’s design. “The SmartCity Malta development was purposely designed to incorporate sustainable and ‘green’ building principles. We are committed to leading by example and all of these initiatives have made the SCM01 building a showcase of SmartCity Malta’s green vision and commitment to the environment. We have set a standard that we hope other Maltese companies will follow.”

During the presentation of the LEED plaque, Minister Pullicino said that SmartCity Malta should display these good practices to the public so that people can understand the benefits of energy-efficient measures and their positive impact on the environment and day-to-day running costs. The government is promoting alternative energy and energy-efficient measures through the schemes funded by ERDF and national funds for the purchase of solar water heaters and photovoltaic systems among others and 12,000 families have already benefited from these grants.

Mr Pullicino added that calculations in the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan for Malta indicate that the interim target for energy end use efficiency of three per cent for 2010 has been achieved, and marginally exceeded. Results have mostly been achieved from the industrial sector (including early action in the water sector) and the domestic sector (due to schemes to replace appliances, change lighting systems and install solar water heaters).

LEED is a rating system devised by the USGBC to evaluate a building’s environmental performance and encourage sustainable design. It is credit-based, with projects earning points for environmentally friendly action taken during construction and use of a building. LEED covers all building types and emphasises state-of-the-art strategies in five areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection and indoor environmental quality.