Washington Transfer Station Goes Green

King County, Wash., officials have announced the opening of the Shoreline Recycling and Transfer Station in Shoreline, Wash., just north of Seattle.

The transfer station has been registered with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is eligible for Gold level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

Formerly known as the First Northeast Transfer Station, the facility underwent a $24-million renovation to make it more efficient for users, quieter for the neighboring community and able to offer more recycling opportunities.

Green building features that helped the facility earn its Gold rating include:

• The use of green building materials, including recycled content steel, Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood and fly ash concrete.
• A roof-top rainwater harvesting system that collects water to wash station floors and equipment.
• The use of natural daylight as the primary light source through translucent wall panels and overheard skylights.
• A natural ventilation system.

King County Executive Ron Sims has also proposed an upgraded Green Building and Sustainable Development Ordinance for King County that requires all construction projects to use sustainable building practices.

More information is available at www.metrokc.gov.