The 2010 Winter Olymics have gone green. The Olympic and Paralympic Athletes Village in Vancouver has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum status by the U.S. Green Building Council (
USGBC).
Located at a former industrial site on Vancouver's False Creek waterfront, the
Village is a shining example of sustainable building principles, including efficient heating practices, storm water managememt and re-use, green roofs, and high use and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists.
Factors in the LEED Platinum rating included proximity to downtown Vancouver and the core Olympic event buildings, mixed use, affordability, green/sustainable building practices and habitat restoration. Innovative energy practices include a "net zero" energy building that will produce as much energy as it consumes via energy consumption monitoring, solar recovery, and waste-heat capture and reuse.
When the Games end, the Olympic Village will be used by Vancouver as a mixed-use community of residential, retail, commercial and public spaces, with a full build out accomodating 16,000 residents and commercial users. Two hundred and fifity out of 1,100 residential units will be designated as affordable housing units.