Staff members of Melaver Construction and Catamount Constructors teamed up on Saturday, August 15th to turn the air waves “green” on Savannah radio station WTKS.  The group talked about new building technologies, what it means to be sustainable and how a contractor carries out the ideals of a developer.  Catamount and Melaver teamed up to construct Abercorn Common - the Nation’s first LEED shopping center and are currently working on Sustainable Fellwood on West Bay Street.

On the Air from (L-R) George Lewis with WTKS, Randy Peacock – Melaver Construction, Pam Parker – Catamount, Shaun Vermilyea – Catamount, and Michael Frey with Melaver Sustainability Consulting.

Abercorn Common is a LEED certified shopping center in Savannah, Georgia and LEED is short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.  Many people add an ’s’ by saying LEEDs.  But did you know that LEEDs is a borough in the U.K. and it’s also the name of a college in Colorado?  I always think of that when I walk by the back of this building in a lane near a parking lot in downtown Savannah - apparently the store used to be named LEEDs.

The Abercorn Common Shopping Center in Savannah was the highlight of the Melaver, Inc. table at Richmond Hill Middle School’s career day.

Karen Hudspeth with Melaver demonstrates green products to students

Richmond Hill Middle School Career Day Melaver booth

We’ve got it covered at Abercorn Common.  Thanks to bio swales at the front of the shopping center, known as Shops 600, which surround the parking lot – draining through filters and check dams to keep as much stormwater out of the system as possible. The lot was also elevated, has porous paving and the green roof helps absorb a lot of that rainwater as well.  All these efforts helped to make it a LEED silver certified building. Take a look at our case study here.

*Best green building – Abercorn Common
*Best Greenspace – how about Forsyth Park?
*Best Green/Sustainability Company – We have a few ideas

*Best Shopping Center/Mall – Abercorn Common

Here’s how to vote:
VOTE ONLINE
1. Go to: www.connectsavannah.com and click on the Best of Savannah located in the middle left portion of the homepage.
2. You can fill out the entire ballot, or if you choose to nominate a few you must fill out a minimum of 25 categories for your ballot to be counted.

LEED buildings are great when everything around them is taken into consideration and the intended use is brought into view of all the LEED criteria.  Take a look at 10 of the world’s ten most laughable green buildings:

http://greenbuildingelements.com/2009/02/16/the-10-dumbest-green-buildings-on-earth/

Have you seen the March Skirt Magazine?  Savannah Menu has a great advertisement with a model right at the Abercorn Common fountain.   What a great backdrop!

Cistern behind Abercorn Shopping Center Savannah GA

The Nation’s First LEED Retail shopping center didn’t just happen – it took a team of professionals, like the 

Melaver Construction Management team and compliance with all the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design through the U.S. Green Building Council:  www.SustainableLEEDConsulting.com.

Did you know  there is an on site cistern which harvests rainwater from the rooftop for irrigation?   The Cistern harvests rainwater from rooftops in the main center,  5 million gallons annually, and this received a point for stormwater management. 

The companies that are still making profits and growing are finding ways to implement green initiatives. Follow their examples. Highlights:  Panera Bread has added antibiotic-free chicken and some organic ingredients, including yogurt and apple juice, and operates a unit in Abercorn Common, a LEED-certified shopping center in Savannah, Ga.
Read all here:  http://www.chainleader.com/article/CA6639975.html?industryid=47556