Should we change our city's name to Green Rapids?? Not likely, even in the
month of March, but with our reputation in the "Green Community", we
certainly could. A full 11 percent of all LEED-certified buildings can be
found in the Grand Rapids area, more per capita than any other city in
the nation. Grand Rapids Michigan has a core city population of about
200,000 people, which definitely means we are one of the "little guys" in the
green movement.
Grand Rapids' mayor, George Heartwell, spoke at the closing of the Chicago
Greenbuild conference in November of 2007. Sitting along side mayors of
several large cities, Albuquerque, Chicago, and Austin, Texas, he might have
seemed somewhat out of place to some. His speech can be viewed here, so you
can see why we, Grand Rapids, Michigan, are one of the leaders in the
Green Movement in the United States. From the Grand Rapids Art Museum,
the first LEED-certified art museum in the world, to the countless new
buildings that have been designed using green principles, our communities
have grabbed a leadership position in the Green Wave.
Here are a few of the larger, more recent projects built to LEED certification:
- Grand Rapids Ballet performance hall
- 340-room J.W. Marriott hotel
- Grand Rapids Art Museum
- Grand Valley State University Engineering School
- Restored, century-old office building
- First restaurant in the Midwest to be LEED certified inside and out.
There are also many area schools working towards LEED certification.
Even our Habitat for Humanity chapter has committed itself to building only
LEED-certified homes. We have green design firms, homes built with green
materials, and corporations that have made sustainability a priority. We even
have Sustainable Business Degrees ( Aquinas College).
If you want to be on the forefront of the hip, new GREEN WAVE, then there is
no better place to be than our hometown, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Visit my Website for Grand Rapids and Surrounding Area Information
Copyright by Terry Westbrook 2008 ~ Westbrook Realty
All rights reserved
George Heartwell -world change photo ~ JW Marriot Hotel in Grand Rapids Mi courtesy of JW Marriot Corp.
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The authors of the this blog write about Grand Rapids Real Estate,
the Greater Grand Rapids MI area, and what it is like to live in
West Michigan. We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!
Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate
Contact Terry 616-292-7263
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