Approximately 70 members of the U.S. Green Building Council - Arkansas Chapter, Central Branch visited Garver's corporate offices last Thursday. The group met at Garver for its monthly education meeting to tour our soon-to-be-certified LEED building. Council members were interested in taking a first-hand look at one of the few green buildings in central Arkansas. Our corporate office incorporates social, economic, and sustainable design considerations that result in energy and water reduction and savings. Among other points of interest, our guests discovered that:
- LED lighting and a light-harvesting system help Garver beat the Arkansas energy code by nearly 40 percent.
- Our modular furniture was purchased from a shuttered office building in New Jersey. Garver paid 7 1/2 cents on the dollar to outfit the campus.
- Our fitness equipment came from a bankrupt fitness facility. Garver paid about 13 cents on the dollar for the equipment.
- Aggressive recycling practices during construction are estimated to have reduced construction waste sent to landfills by 75 percent.
The U.S. Green Building Council - Arkansas Chapter seeks to create a legacy for future generations based on responsible planning, design, construction, and operation of the state's buildings, landscapes, cityscapes, and neighborhoods.
