Tyndall Fitness Center receives LEED Platinum Award Published April 20, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Christopher Reel 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The Tyndall Fitness Center was awarded the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum level, the highest rating possible as of Aug. 20, 2010, under the group's green building rating system. The fitness center opened Aug. 20, 2010 and is the first building in the Air Force to earn this rating. The fitness center uses nearly 40 percent less water by utilizing low and ultra-low fixtures. The facility also has drought tolerant landscaping that allows for no permanent irrigation system and nine percent of the facility's energy costs are provided by renewable energy generated on the roof via solar panels and solar-generated hot water. To meet additional LEED standards, engineers used construction materials containing 39 percent recycled content that could be found within a 500 mile radius of the base, a move that reduces the energy costs and usage associated with long-distance transportation. "The facility would account for 48 percent in annual energy cost savings, compared to a similar sized building without the same energy saving features," said Brian Allen, 325th Civil Engineer Squadron mechanical engineer and project manager. Furthermore, it is constructed to withstand a Category 3 Hurricane with 130 mile-per-hour winds. The fitness center is situated on 8.7 acres near 19 neighborhood services within a half-mile radius. Bike racks provide secure storage and premium parking is established for low-emitting, fuel efficient or alternative fuel vehicles. In the building, construction officials minimized volatile organic compounds to help maintain a healthy indoor environment. "Energy efficiency, water conservation, and sustainability were key factors in the design and construction of this 75,000 square foot facility," added Allen. "A few key features such as the building's orientation for daylight harvesting, efficient windows, sunshades and motion sensors help conserve energy and resources." A July 2007 Air Force Sustainable Design and Development policy memorandum from Maj. Gen. Del Eulberg, Air Force Civil Engineer, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, Washington D.C., declared that all Air Force construction projects should use the U.S. GBC's LEED rating system as a self-assessment metric, with the goal of having all Air Force vertical construction projects that began by Fiscal Year 2009 capable of achieving LEED Silver certification, the second highest rating on the LEED scale. Workers broke ground on the $19 million facility in October 2008. The hours of operation are 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on holidays. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.