Many of you know that we are based in Denver, in the Lower Downtown neighborhood (LoDo to us locals).  What you may not know is that we are located in one of Denver's and the country's greenest old buildings, run by the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado.  The building, known as the Alliance Center, is a former 1880s warehouse next to the Tattered Cover Bookstore.  It has been redesigned and retrofitted on the interior with all sorts of environmentally-friendly construction materials and now serves as a venue where companies that make such products can showcase their materials.  From the carpeting made from recycled plastic bottles to the wall insulation made from recycled clothing fibers, the building's interiors have been constructed from low-impact and energy-efficient materials wherever possible.  That, combined with the Alliance's attempts to use the existing structural elements of the building (like its brick walls and giant post-and-beam interior supports), have earned the Alliance Center an impressive two LEED certifications, one for "existing structures" and another for "commerical interiors."  LEED certification is the universally recognized benchmark for environmentally sustainable building practices, and there is only one other building in the entire country that has earned two LEED certifications before.  LEED certification (which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) doesn't just recognize the use of recycled materials in construction; it addresses energy efficiency as well.  Therefore, the Alliance Center's use of low-water fixtures in the building's bathrooms and high-efficiency lighting and electrical systems factored into its certifications as well.

The Alliance Center is much more than just a green building, however.  Now that it is fully operational and occupied to capacity, it also serves as an epicenter for all sorts of progressive issues, from environmental conservation to community health care.  The broad diversity of organizations that make their home in the Alliance Center make it a valuable community resource.  That diversity also encourages synergy among the tenants.  Many of our closest partner organizations, like Colorado Environmental Coalition and Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project, are here in the building with us, which makes collaboration as easy as walking across the hall.  The building also allows us to share resources, like photocopiers and fax machines, so each organization can save the money it would take to purchase these items individually.

Needless to say, we couldn't be happier to be located in such a building, and we encourage you to stop by and visit us.  Not only would you get to say hello to our staff (we're hard-working, but also always fun and friendly, of course), but you can check out the building and all its green features.  The Alliance Center offers a self guided tour (brochures and maps are available in the main lobby on the first floor), and guided tours are available by appointment.  If you can't make it down to see us in person, try the Alliance's virtual tour of the building on their website.  The Alliance has ambitious plans for a second building adjacent to this one, too, and you can learn more about them in the first floor lobby.