A newly constructed, 632,130-square-foot distribution center east of Sparks has become one of the largest buildings in the United States to achieve LEED Gold Certification.
The West America Commerce Center's first building was recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council, which establishes standards for environmentally sound and sustainable development.
The distribution center at Tahoe Reno Industrial Center was developed by Development Arts LLC of Reno.
David Loring, managing partner of Development Arts, said LEED certification increasingly has become a corporate mandate for companies that lease industrial space.
With the LEED designation, the building qualifies for a 30 percent property tax abatement for 10 years through a state government program. That will save the building and its tenants nearly $1 million, Loring said.
Among the aspects of the building that helped it achieve LEED Gold designation:
* Extensive use of skylights to provide free natural light.
* A white roof that reduces absorption of solar heat.
* Interior walls that are painted white to amplify natural light inside the warehouse.
* Energy-efficient lighting systems.
* A program to recycle waste materials from the building's construction.
The building, which awaits its first tenant, can be divided into spaces as small as 80,000 square feet.
It's the first of three buildings planned by Development Arts in the 100-acre West America Commerce Center project.
