Las Vegas CityCenter earns LEED Gold 3-times over

For a few months now, we have been talking up the developing CityCenter project out in the hot desert sand of a little town called “Las Vegas,” hoping to one day get an all-expense-paid outing for our troubles (just kidding…not really). Now, it seems the city’s upcoming gem is making some tremendously green strides with its newly-earned LEED Gold certifications in three – yes, that’s right, THREE spanking-new resorts: ARIA Resort’s hotel tower; ARIA Resort’s convention center and theater; and Vdara Hotel.

Scheduled to open their doors this coming December, ARIA and Vdara are the first of CityCenter’s developments to be LEED certified. CityCenter anticipates Gold or Silver LEED certification for its remaining developments which include Las Vegas’ first Mandarin Oriental; Crystals, a 500,000-square-foot retail and entertainment district; Veer Towers, the community’s only strictly residential buildings; and The Harmon (opening late 2010), a 400-room luxury boutique hotel.

The LEED Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Meeting the rigorous environmental standards of LEED Gold Certification is a testament to the complete integration of sustainable principles throughout the design and construction of ARIA and Vdara, and the remainder of CityCenter.

“From the beginning we believed that intelligent design and sustainable practices would reinforce a sense of permanence for CityCenter and create a healthier, more appealing environment for guests, residents and our workforce,” said Bobby Baldwin, CityCenter’s president and CEO. “The LEED Gold certification for ARIA and Vdara is a great leap forward in our effort to redefine the destination resort experience and provide a true cultural center to the Las Vegas Strip.”

Collaborating with the foremost sustainability and LEED consultants from throughout the nation, CityCenter has introduced more than 10,000 construction trade and craftsmen to green building techniques that can be implemented at other developments throughout Las Vegas and beyond.

“The CityCenter team set a standard for responsible growth in Las Vegas by pursuing the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification,” added Cindy Ortega, MGM MIRAGE’s senior vice president of Energy and Environmental Services Division. “CityCenter’s pursuit of LEED is driving green economies of scale in multiple industry segments, paving the way for other entities to build and operate sustainably.”

CityCenter will serve as a demonstration that a community can be both attractive and sustainable while providing exceptional entertainment, hospitality, and meeting and convention experiences. This blend of nature and luxury will be evident in the design and construction solutions employed to achieve dramatic improvements in energy efficiency, water conservation, and occupant health and comfort.

Highlights of CityCenter’s LEED efforts include:

• Energy generation through an 8.5-megawatt natural-gas co-generation plant
• Water conservation technology and programs that  save between 30 and 43 percent of water within the buildings and 60 percent in landscaping
• World’s first fleet of stretch limos powered by clean-burning compressed natural gas (CNG)
• Nation’s most technologically advanced hotel rooms with exclusive features allowing guests to “green their stay”
• Development of slot machine bases that serve as floor air-conditioning distribution units, efficiently cooling public spaces from the ground up in the occupied zones, rather than wasting energy cooling the empty space below the ceiling
• Energy-efficiency initiatives providing a savings equivalent to powering 8,800 households annually
• Creation of a large-scale recycling operation that enabled the recycling or reuse of more than 260,000 tons of construction waste, including 97 percent of the imploded Boardwalk Hotel

CityCenter’s LEED certification effort was lead by MGM MIRAGE’s Energy and Environmental Services Division along with a recognized group of sustainability consultants including CTG Energetics, Green Building Services, Viridian Energy & Environmental, and The Fore Group.

Go to www.citycenter.com for more information.