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American Legacy Foundation® Awarded LEED® New Construction Green Building Certification

2/19/2009

American Institute of Architects Also Honors Foundation with Sustainable Design Commendation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Legacy Foundation, a national non-profit organization dedicated to tobacco use prevention and cessation, announced today that it has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED^® New Construction (NC) Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the USGBC’s leading rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy efficient, and high performing buildings.

The Foundation is also the recipient of the Presidential Citation for Sustainable Design from the Washington, DC Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Just over a year ago, Legacy opened its doors at 1724 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. As part of the move to its new location, the foundation took the opportunity to adapt its new headquarters to become more environmentally-friendly.

"Legacy's new location is designed to be more efficient while also allowing the entire staff to be housed in one building. The steps towards going green have been rigorous but are worthwhile and beneficial," said Cheryl G. Healton, Dr. PH, Legacy's president and chief executive officer.

Glenn T. Prickett, Senior Vice President of Conservation International and Executive Director of the Center for Environmental Leadership in Business (CELB), applauded the Foundation's Gold LEED certification. "As a cutting-edge national nonprofit committed to improving public health, it is a natural segue for the American Legacy Foundation to expand their leadership in health and wellness to minimizing the organization's impact on the environment. The Foundation deserves this recognition and I hope others in the nonprofit community will follow their lead."

The LEED Green Building System^TM is the nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Some of the green features at Legacy include:

energy-efficient lighting
use of recycled and renewable materials
water-efficient landscaping
continued collection of recyclables
use of renewable energy
innovative design features that reduce water use

LEED verifies environmental performance, occupant health and financial return. LEED was established for market leaders to design and construct buildings that protect and save precious resources while also making good economic sense.

LEED certification of Legacy was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community.

In addition, with the help of its in-house Environmental Committee, Legacy is encouraging its employees to take personal measures to create a more eco-friendly work environment. Simple steps such as cutting back on paper usage, utilizing reusable dishes, taking advantage of public transportation or carpooling, and conserving electricity are a few of the recommended actions.

The American Legacy Foundation^® is dedicated to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. Located in Washington, D.C., the foundation develops programs that address the health effects of tobacco use, especially among vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by the toll of tobacco, through grants, technical assistance and training, partnerships, youth activism, and counter-marketing and grassroots marketing campaigns. The Foundation’s programs include truth^®, a national youth smoking prevention campaign that has been cited as contributing to significant declines in youth smoking; EX^®, an innovative public health program designed to speak to smokers in their own language and change the way they approach quitting; research initiatives exploring the causes, consequences and approaches to reducing tobacco use; and a nationally-renowned program of outreach to priority populations. The American Legacy Foundation was created as a result of the November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) reached between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories and the tobacco industry. Visit http://www.americanlegacy.org/.

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Contact: Julia Cartwright, 202-454-5596, jcartwright@americanlegacy.org