The first hotel in the U.S. to receive LEED Platinum certification used National Gypsum wallboard produced at the Shippingport Plant in its construction. The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, NC features over 70 sustainable practices including wallboard made of 100 percent recycled materials.

LEED Platinum is the highest rating of the U.S. Green Building Council which developed the nationally recognized set of guidelines for sustainable design and construction. The U.S. Green Building Council goals are to reduce building operating costs, provide a healthier and more productive environment for building occupants, and conserve natural resources.

Selecting wallboard produced at Shippingport helped the hotel earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) points. By using products made from recycled materials the hotel earned two LEED points. By sourcing construction materials locally, the hotel earned two more points. Shippingport board is produced from recycled paper and byproduct gypsum. It is located within 500 miles of Greensboro, which meets the local sourcing requirement. Additionally, the raw material source (byproduct gypsum) is less than a mile from the Shippingport Plant.

To achieve the LEED Platinum designation, the hotel had to earn between 52 and 69 points. It earned 55.

The $28 million AAA Four-Diamond hotel uses 39 percent less energy and 33 percent less water than comparable hotels without compromising comfort or luxury. To heat water, the hotel has 100 solar panels on the roof. Geothermal energy is used for the restaurant’s refrigeration equipment, and the regenerative drive elevators generate electricity on the descent which is used to power the ascent.

In addition, 87 percent of the construction debris was recycled, diverting 1535 tons from landfills. Elaborate energy recovery systems provide large amounts of fresh outside air to all guests, and bicycles are available for guests to ride on the nearby five-mile greenway.

Hotel owner Dennis Quaintance said the hotel’s high level of environmental performance was not an initial goal but stemmed from making practical decisions with an eye for long-term value. Quaintance estimates the environmental goals added between $1.5 and $2 million to the project budget, but he expects the green strategies will pay for themselves in less than four years. In energy costs alone, the owner expects to save $140,000 per year.

“I’ve come to believe that it is an urban legend that employing sustainable practices with new construction is too expensive,” Quaintance said on the hotel website. “We are very happy with the results, including the costs and returns, of everything we did. It’s not easy – but it’s not hard. And, it’s definitely worth it.”

Proximity Hotel received its LEED Platinum plaque in a ceremony at the hotel last November. The architect for the project was Centrepoint Architecture and Interior Enterprizes in Greensboro was the drywall contractor. The hotel’s Education Center for sustainable practices includes tours of the building for guests.

The hotel was named for the former Proximity Cotton mills which later became Cone Mills and manufactured denim and flannel.        3/18/2009