Ascent Apartments has been awarded LEED® Silver Certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence. Through design, construction and operations practices that improve environmental and human health, LEED-certified buildings are helping to make the world more sustainable.

Ascent achieved LEED Silver certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions in areas including sustainable site development, water conservation, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Green buildings allow companies and residences to operate more sustainably and give the people inside them a healthier, more comfortable place to work and live.

The City of Westminster enthusiastically supported LEED certification for the Ascent. “Westminster has made sustainability a priority, including our City Council affirming it as a key element of the City’s long-term vision,” said Jody Andrews, Deputy City Manager for Westminster. “Our commitment as a City extends to the partnerships we have formed with developers, like Sherman Associates, who value sustainable design and solutions from start to finish, and we have been able to achieve these LEED awards because of our dedication to a Downtown Westminster that includes a mix of uses, community connectivity, and great access to public transportation.”

“We are long term owners and operators of the projects we develop and are committed to be good stewards to the environment and our residents,” said Richard Kiemen, senior vice-president of construction, Sherman Associates. “Delivering a quality, efficient building under the LEED program positions us to meet this commitment. As a resident of Ascent, your energy usage and effect on the environment is far less than if you lived in a building built to standard code requirements.”

Notable LEED measures that have been implemented, benefiting the environment include:

  • High-efficiency LED lighting throughout entire building
  • High-efficiency in-unit HVAC including Heat Recovery Ventilator fresh air initiatives (recycles heat to treat outside air before being tempered by unit)
  • Water saving plumbing fixtures and fittings
  • Energy Star® rated appliances
  • Environmental Preferable Products
  • Quality control & durability plan in place during construction
  • Storm water management best practices implemented

“Achieving LEED certification is more than just implementing sustainable practices. It represents a commitment to making the world a better place and influencing others to do better,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “Given the extraordinary importance of climate protection and the central role buildings play in that effort, Ascent is creating a path forward through their LEED certification.”

Certification is proof that buildings are going above and beyond to ensure the space is constructed and operated to the highest level of sustainability.