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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SHP Leading Design Corporate Office Awarded LEED Gold Certification

04.10.09

SHP Leading Design is pleased to announce that it has been awarded LEED Gold Certification for their office headquarters. LEED is the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy efficient, and high performing buildings.

“SHP is honored to receive our certification from the USGBC,” said SHP President Lauren Della Bella, LEED AP.  “As an organization, we are committed to green and sustainable design and the certification of our very own office proves we are truly walking the walk.”

LEED verifies environmental performance, occupant health and financial return. LEED was established for market leaders to design & construct buildings that protect and save precious resources while also making good economic sense.

“The strength of USGBC has always been the collective strength of our leaders in the building industry," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, USGBC. "Given the extraordinary importance of climate protection and the central role of the building industry in that effort, SHP Leading Design demonstrates their leadership through their LEED certification of their headquarters in Cincinnati.”

SHP moved into the new 22,000 square foot, award-winning office last year.  They desired a new corporate office to better reflect their absolute commitment to sustainable architecture. “The end result of our new space is a more responsive, flexible, high-performing environment that allows us to better serve our clients,” Della Bella added.

Utilizing daylight was a major focus. “The open floor plan, with no perimeter offices and low 42-inch partitions, enables anyone walking through the space to experience design creation,” she said.  The building also has floor-to-ceiling windows and boasts sloped ceiling panels that pull natural light into the center of the space thus reducing the demand for lighting.  In addition, linear pendant lights dim and brighten based on the amount of daylight.

The company also installed an automatic blind system that works in connection with the sun’s position. For example, the blinds are down in the morning on the east side of the building, and move up with the sun.

Comfortable soft seating spaces, various sized conference rooms, and design pin-up areas deliver an environment that nourished the firm’s integrated work process.  Wireless technology throughout produces endless communication opportunities. Entirely mobile furniture creates a fluid design that is easily changeable as needs arise.  The company also incorporated a central commons area, which can be used as a lunch room, conduct office meetings or hold large presentations.

SHP currently has over 30 projects registered with the USGBC for LEED certification.  “This certification is just the first of many,” Della Bella exclaimed.

About the U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. Since UGSBC’s founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 17,000 member companies and organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED® green building rating systems, an expansive educational offering, the industry’s popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org), and a network of 78 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

About LEED®
The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™ is a feature-oriented rating system that awards buildings points for satisfying specified green building criteria. The six major environmental categories of review include: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation and Design. Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of LEED green building certification are awarded based on the total number of points earned within each LEED category. LEED can be applied to all building types including new construction, commercial interiors, core & shell developments, existing buildings, homes, neighborhood developments, schools and retail facilities. LEED for Healthcare is currently under development and is expected to be released in early 2008.

SHP Leading Design offers a complete line of planning, architecture, interior design, engineering, construction administration and facilities management services. With more than 105 years of experience, the firm is committed to leading the community in innovative architectural design and sustainable design. Headquartered in Cincinnati, SHP also has offices in Columbus and Hamilton, Ohio.