Sewell Automotive Companies (Sewell), a US-based company, has launched a new green building program with Fort Worth's first structure earning Gold-level Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. In addition, the company is purchasing green energy certificates to help offset the use of electricity in the building. The company is paying for the production of wind-generated electricity equal to 70% of the building's energy consumption.

The new building, which houses pre-owned sales and the service team at Sewell Lexus of Fort Worth, is one of fewer than 20 buildings in North Texas to achieve the Gold-level LEED certification to date and the first Lexus sales facility nationwide to earn LEED certification.

“The Sewell family of automotive dealerships is committed to making environmentally sustainable building practices an integral part of our business,” said Carl Sewell, chairman of Sewell. “By pursuing LEED certification with future new construction and building remodels, we aim to help conserve energy and North Texas’ environment, as well as provide our customers and employees a better environment in which to carry out business.”

The automotive dealer will give customers the opportunity to see the new LEED-certified building’s green features, as well as preview the new Lexus hybrid sedan, the Lexus HS 250h, at a private celebration on September 24, 2009 from 6 to 8 pm attended by Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief.

Customers are not the first to see the building’s green features. School children from the Fort Worth Independent School District have also toured the facility as a part of outreach efforts by Sewell. Additional school tours are being scheduled to educate future generations on the ways, some of them very simple, of creating responsible and healthy places to work.

Highlights of the building’s green features are:

– A storm water control system that uses a cistern to collect rainwater running off the roof to be re-used for landscape irrigation.

– Water-efficient landscaping reducing the need for watering by 50%.

– Ultra-efficient lavatory fixtures reducing the use of potable water by30%.

– About 90% of building waste recycled, diverting it from landfills.

– 90% of all regularly occupied spaces with direct line of sight to the outdoors, reducing the need for electric light and creating a healthier work environment.

– Light-colored roof tile that reduces the amount of electricity needed to cool the building.

– Optimized energy efficiency by building to ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) Advanced Energy Design Guide standards.

– Air monitors that check the quality of air being supplied to the building, monitoring for pollution and contamination.

– Low-emitting carpets, paints, adhesives and sealants that reduce the level of chemical gases in the air.

– An in-house recycling center that encourages recycling of paper, glass and metal.

– Preferential parking for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles.

“We hope other businesses will see the benefits of participating in the LEED program,” said Ken Clayton, Sewell’s corporate facilities manager and in-house LEED Accredited Professional (AP). “Not only is improving the environmental impact of your buildings the right thing to do, but there are solid business incentives to make it worthwhile. Green design, over the life of a building, reduces your operating costs and creates better work spaces for your employees.”

According to the U.S. Green Building Council, an upfront investment of as little as 2% in green building design on average results in life cycle savings of 20% of the total construction costs, more than 10 times the initial investment.

Sewell worked with Turner Construction on the new 5,600-square-foot building, which received its Gold-level LEED certification at the end of June 2009.