The Miami Design District has become the first in the world to achieve LEED Neighborhood Development Gold certification, its architect announced yesterday.
LEED is a green certification that is awarded for environmentally friendly construction.
SB Architects said in a press release that the project had been awarded LEED Neighborhood Development: Built v4 Gold certification.
It is the first in the world to achieve Gold and third in the world to be certified in this version 4 of the LEED system, SB said.
“This project sets a new bar for mixed-use capabilities, pushing the envelope of retail design and creating a model for future developments, not only in the Miami market but on a national and international scale,” said Scott Lee, president and principal of SB Architects.
Nearly every roof in the development is planted as a green roof, providing both thermal cooling and rooftop landscape design.
The project is also designed to optimize energy performance, and has systems in place to reduce water use.
During construction, construction waste was carefully managed, while builders used recycled, locally sourced and sustainable materials.
In addition to its sustainability measures, the project provides 50% more open space than required by the zoning codes, maximizes access to alternative transportation with immediate proximity to multiple bus lines providing over 200 stops per day, and locates 100% of parking spaces undercover.
The Miami Design District spans 18 blocks and includes 2,699,095 square feet of urban mixed-use development.
There is a four-block pedestrian promenade anchored by two department stores with rooftop gardens and mature shade trees lining the streets. A boutique hotel, condominium tower, and five parking garages are also incorporated in the design, which are dotted with cafés and tree-shaded plazas.
SB oversaw design of the entire architectural skeleton for the entire site and was the architect of record specifically for Palm Court, Paradise Plaza and several other buildings. The architect implemented systems that led to the LEED certification in collaboration with the Spinnaker Group.
Source: The Next Miami