With the help of Vertegy, Volkswagen Chattanooga receives Gold 2012 Edison Green Award and Crossroads College Preparatory is named a Green Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education

Vertegy, an award-winning sustainability consulting firm based in St. Louis, was recently notified that two of its LEED Platinum projects have earned national recognition. The Volkswagen Assembly Plant, which is located in Chattanooga, Tenn., and was recognized in late 2011 as the world's first LEED Platinum automotive plant, received the Gold 2012 Edison Green Award. In addition, Crossroads College Preparatory School, which is located in St. Louis and earned LEED Platinum certification in early 2010, was named one of the first-ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools by the Obama Administration. The two awards are a testament to Vertegy's influence in the green building industry as the firm continues to guide facilities to LEED certification throughout the U.S. and overseas.

The Volkswagen Assembly Plant was recognized with an Edison Award for its environmental and sustainability achievements. Six Edison Green Awards were handed out at the 25th annual Edison Awards Gala in New York City, recognizing companies in two different categories: program and implementation. The Gold Edison Green Award that was awarded to Volkswagen and the project team is the highest honor among the Edison Green Awards, an initiative which aims to recognize innovation, creativity and ingenuity in the global economy. The Volkswagen plant, along with several other nominees, was judged by a panel of more than 3,000 individuals with evaluation criteria that included concept, value, impact and delivery. This is the second time the Volkswagen Chattanooga plant has been recognized for its environmental achievements. In 2011, the plant also received the Tennessee Governor's Environmental Stewardship Award.

Vertegy also consulted on the sustainable design and construction of Crossroads College Preparatory School, which is located in St. Louis City's DeBaliviere Place neighborhood, to help create a "greener" environment and promote sustainable concepts in the lives of students, faculty and administrators. Crossroads was one of only 78 schools across the country to be named to the first-ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools list in recognition of its environmental achievements. Crossroads was one of two Missouri schools to achieve recognition from the new federal program, which began accepting nominations last fall. Green Ribbon schools exercise a comprehensive approach to creating "green" environments through their efforts to reduce environmental impact, promote health, and ensure a high-quality environmental and outdoor education. Their efforts help prepare students with the 21st century skills and sustainability concepts needed in the growing global economy. Among the list of winners are 66 public schools, including eight charters, and 12 private schools, hailing from 29 different states.

"While the Volkswagen Assembly Plant and Crossroads College Preparatory School are two very different types of facilities, they both serve as wonderful examples of how sustainability can be incorporated into just about any type of facility," noted Thomas Taylor, general manager of Vertegy and Doha-based Vertegy International. "We are thrilled to have been involved in the sustainable design and construction of both of these buildings and are happy to see their environmental achievements recognized on a national level."

For more information about Vertegy's work on the Volkswagen Chattanooga plant or Crossroads College Preparatory School, call 314.733.2666 or visit www.vertegyconsultants.com. For more information about the Edison Awards, visit www.edisonawards.com, and for more information on the U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon School program, visit www2.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools.

Founded in February 2005, Vertegy provides clients with design, procurement and construction consulting services for green and sustainable facilities. One of the key ways Vertegy serves clients is by helping them gain certification for their projects from various nationally and internationally recognized certification bodies, such as the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which provides LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification. Vertegy — which is derived from combining the Latin root for green and strategy — is based in St. Louis at the LEED Platinum Alberici Corporate Headquarters.