Did you know that Asheville is one of the “greenest” neighborhoods in North Carolina? For the last 30 years, Gillespie Dental Associates has committed to contributing positively to the sustainability practices of our community through implementing products and practices that encourage a healthy environment. Lucky for us, we have an incredible asset to our team in Leah Gruitza, our Staff Development & Training (and more) Guru who happens to be a LEED Accredited Professional! LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The program was launched in 2000 by the US Green Building Council and proudly serves as the most widely used green building rating system in the world.
Leah became a LEED Accredited Professional in 2009, but her devotion to improving the environment began as a child. She
rescued critters out of pools, made cozy dwellings for abandoned baby birds, and even saved insects from impending weather. As young as 5, she was donating allowances and spare change to organizations working to stop the Canadian Baby Seal Hunts, and she later went on to work for the Bear League in Lake Tahoe. She continues to donate to a variety of animal organizations, with Sea Shephard being closest to her heart. She’s also maintained a strict vegetarian diet for over 30 years.
One of Leah’s proudest accomplishments came from an opportunity for collaboration with her father and his architectural firm, John N. Gruitza Associates in Sharon, PA on a LEED Accredited project. This project became the first LEED Silver building of its kind attained in the nation under the HUD Section 202 program which provides housing to seniors.
LEED focuses on sustainability throughout all phases of design, construction, and building operations. The rating system consists of stringent prerequisites and credit requirements that must be met in order to achieve one of four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. It accounts for a broad spectrum of what is deemed “globally sustainable” and can be applied to new or existing buildings, interiors, homes, neighborhoods, and even cities. Certification prioritizes a variety of categories, including but not limited to:
- Sustainable Site Selection
- Water Efficiency
- Energy and Atmosphere
- Materials and Resources
- Innovation and Design
- Indoor Air Quality
Although LEED Certification is challenging and expensive, it is recognized as the “Gold Standard” in green design and is considered an honor to attain.
Leah is driven to uncover opportunities for Gillespie Dental Associates to stay at the forefront of green initiatives. Through careful research and planning, she identifies areas of improvement and provides feedback and training to our team to implement change both short and long term. We can’t wait to continue to share our environmental contributions with you as we roll out our Green Series this year! Next time you’re in the office, make sure to ask us about what we have been up to, and keep an eye on your email and social media for more updates!