Greening the Nevada Desert

Posted on August 22, 2008
Tag(s): Going Green, Green Building, Green Travel
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The big news is that Nevada has plans underway for 100 million square feet of new construction to be built to U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards. More than half of that is planned for Las Vegas.

Sin City is the place where everything seems larger than life. Think of the impact the message to “go green” will have on its 40 million annual tourists! Las Vegas is not only a mecca of indulgence, but is now on a journey of innovation in green building.

In May, the 8.3 million square foot Palazzo Resort-Hotel-Casino became the country’s largest LEED certified building. Currently in development is the 18 million square foot City Center complex on the Strip. According to the Star Press, “The projects gunning for LEED certifications include the $2.9 billion Fontainebleau resort, the $1.9 billion tower addition to Caesars Palace, the $4.8 billion Echelon resort, and the $9.2 billion, six-high-rise CityCenter complex.”

Green building strategies include: utilizing solar power, reusing and recycling construction and demolition debris, going “paperless”, using water-conserving fixtures and energy-efficient products, integrating eco-friendly materials, planting drought-tolerant landscaping, and increasing natural lighting.

I think it’s great that green building is taking place in such a highly visible destination like Vegas, but part of me still wishes that Sin City was originally founded in a more naturally lush area that could better sustain the heavy toll its visitors have on its environment.