The Trinidad and Tobago Green Building Council (TTGBC) congratulates RGM Limited on the achievement of green building certification for Savannah East. The building was certified LEED Silver under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
The Trinidad and Tobago Green Building Council (TTGBC) congratulates RGM Limited on the achievement of green building certification for Savannah East. The building was certified LEED Silver under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system developed by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is an internationally recognized rating system for environmentally sensitive building design, construction and operation. Trinidad and Tobago now has its first LEED certified building.
Savannah East was envisioned to be the first LEED certified building in Trinidad and Tobago. RGM’s objective was to lead a paradigm shift in traditional methods of construction and operations of buildings locally. Savannah East had to be environmentally friendly and provide a safe and productive workspace. The challenges were immediate as there was no local experience with this method of construction and operation.
The TTGBC wishes to congratulate Devanand Ragbir and Gerard D’Arcy for their contribution in achieving this success. Devanand was the LEED Accredited Professional who was charged with the responsibility of coordinating the certification process. Devanand is a founding member of the TTGBC, as well as its first President. He is currently Vice President Advocacy & Awareness.
Gerard D’Arcy served as an executive member of the TTGBC as Vice President of Public Relations during 2014-15. Gerard was instrumental in promoting the idea of green building certification to the Board of Directors at RGM. He played a crucial role in the design and construction phases of the project as the client representative. It is notable that RGM made the decision to undertake LEED certification despite the challenges involved. At the time, the process of certification was relatively unknown in the local industry.
The TTGBC urges other organisations to follow the lead taken by RGM so that all buildings in Trinidad and Tobago can be built, retrofitted, and operated in an environmentally sensitive manner. This will support Trinidad and Tobago’s diversification away from fossil fuel dependence and promote the adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
