At
McWHINNEY, we are committed to building sustainable communities that will
thrive in both the natural and built environments. This is an important part of
our purpose of creating great places for people to live, connect with each
other and with nature, while respecting and safeguarding local wildlife
habitats and corridors.
Our belief
is that sustainability is a process of continual improvement of building
practices, and reduction of energy consumption and waste.
Centerra and
Van de Water are two McWHINNEY master-planned communities. Their design is
pedestrian-centered, offering walking trails, open spaces, buffer areas, mass
transit stops and roundabouts.
86% of
construction waste was diverted from landfill during construction of Rangeview
Three, a LEED Certified Class A office building.
Energy-efficient
buildings and lighting, automated door systems and low-water landscaping are
all features of Motorplex at Centerra.
Recycled
construction waste from other local projects was incorporated in compost used
to create Chapungu Sculpture Park at Centerra.
A
cornerstone of the McWHINNEY commitment to sustainability is the High Plains
Environmental Center (HPEC). This nonprofit is responsible for protecting 275
acres of Centerra's open space, lakes and wetlands. HPEC leads educational
community programs and provides support on sustainable design to local
developers, planners and consultants, since its formation in 2001 in a
partnership between McWHINNEY and McStain Neighborhoods.
McWHINNEY
partners with HPEC and Loveland Thompson District School District to develop
sustainable curriculum and environmental practices in local STEAM schools.
Reused
asphalt and byproducts from coal power plants were used to build roads and
other infrastructure at the Medical Center of the Rockies in Centarra, a
136-bed cardiac and trauma specialty hospital opened in 2007. CFL lighting,
water based paints and other environmentally friendly supplies are used on the
site, and regular audits and maintenance for energy efficiency are carried out
on the buildings.
The Medical
Center is a Gold LEED certified hospital, one of only two in the U.S. in 2007.
In 2007,
McWHINNEY adopted a company-wide sustainability action plan. The plan sets a
path to achieving and measuring practices in sustainable development both
within McWHINNEY communities and internally. The action plan aligns McWHINNEY
core values to a triple bottom line: People, Profit and Planet. Commissioned by
McWHINNEY, the plan was facilitated by The Brendle Group and Institute for the
Built Environment at Colorado State University.