News

The first LEED Platinum certified car dealership in the U.S.

Eugene, Oregon, January 26, 2010

Kendall Toyota of Eugene announced today that its newly-completed showroom, sales and parts building has been awarded LEED Platinum level certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The building is the first publicly announced LEED Platinum certified car dealership in the nation. Platinum is the highest level of LEED certification.

Kendall Toyota of Eugene, OR

The 58,074 square foot facility features a range of energy-saving strategies including insulation well beyond that required by the building code, special service bay doors designed to quickly open and shut, extensive daylighting and occupancy controls to automatically dim or turn off lights in unoccupied spaces or spaces receiving ample sunlight and a 200 kilowatt solar array on the roof. These features contributed to energy savings of over 58 percent and energy cost reductions of over 60 percent.

A combination of water saving measures including waterless urinals, dual flush toilets and low flow faucets and shower heads yielded water efficiency savings of over 51 percent – over 130,000 gallons per year. Additionally, 100 percent of the irrigation water required and a portion of the car wash water is provided by collected rainwater stored in two salvaged and refurbished cisterns. Drought tolerant landscaping and irrigation strategies also contributed towards exterior water use reduction. Throughout construction, material waste was reduced and over 99 percent of all waste was recycled with less than 1 percent going to the landfill.

The renovation was designed by gLas Architects and managed by the deChase Development Services Company. LEED and sustainability consulting was provided by Brightworks, a Portland, Oregon-based sustainability consulting firm.

“We see this as a powerful, tangible example of Kendall Toyota’s commitment to the environment, its workers and its community,” says Jessica Green, Brightworks project lead on the development. “It’s really a significant way national companies like Kendall Auto Group can demonstrate leadership in helping address important issues like climate change, water scarcity and toxic pollution.”

Environmental Metrics

Annual energy savings in kilowatt hours: 40,026
Annual energy savings in therms: 36,921
Annual energy generated in kilowatt hours: 220,363
Annual water savings in gallons: 132,176 in EPA rated fixtures alone
Waste diversion total in tons: 4,010

Financial Metrics

Annual energy savings in dollars: $69,233

About Brightworks

Brightworks is an award-winning sustainability and green building consulting firm with offices in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Brightworks helps clients save money while helping the planet, with over 90 active projects and 50 completed projects nationwide and internationally. www.brightworks.net

Learn more about Brightworks' projects