Earth Advantage Institute (EAI), a nonprofit sustainable building organization based in Portland, Ore., has announced the launch of its Earth Advantage Commercial (EAC) green building certification program.
According to the EAI, the program will offer three levels of certification – Platinum, Gold, and Silver – in a ‘rigorous green building certification that is accessible and cost-effective for commercial buildings smaller than 100,000 square feet.’ The EAI adds that 95% of all commercial buildings are in this smaller category, but green certification for these buildings is often ‘overlooked due to its perceived complexities and cost.’
The program is an expansion of an earlier endeavor created by the EAI in the late 1990s. In 2010, the EAI began a pilot program in collaboration with Energy Trust of Oregon that used a retooled commercial certification concept. Late last year, the EAI determined that the success of the pilot projects warranted a full national launch of the program this year.
‘The success of our EAC pilot in Oregon, along with the tremendous interest we've received from across the country, is a clear indication that there is a demand for green building certification options for small commercial buildings,’ says Diana Fischetti, commercial program manager at the EAI. ‘EAC is fully prepared to meet that demand. We are excited to work with our preferred partner network and many smaller commercial building projects that will now be empowered to ensure their buildings are built sustainably.’
