News

IHMC Ocala Awarded LEED Gold Certification ~ Built by BCBE Construction
~ Central Florida Research Facility Receives Top National Environmental Recognition ~

Ocala, Florida – Dr. Kenneth Ford, President and CEO of the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) announced that the recently established Ocala research facility has been awarded “LEED Gold” certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The nationally-prized LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) award program was developed by the Council to provide building owners with a concise and value-added framework for implementing green building design, construction, operations, and maintenance.

As part of their certification process, LEED program representatives assessed the IHMC facility’s design and construction with respect to energy savings, water efficiency, emissions reduction, indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and found IHMC Ocala to rise to a top Gold standard level.

“LEED Gold certification recognizes our efforts to create a healthy and productive workplace for our people, one that is less costly to operate and maintain, and has a reduced environmental footprint,” according to Dr. Kenneth Ford, CEO of IHMC. “We worked hard to earn the certification and are delighted to receive the news.”

IHMC purchased the former Ocala downtown library building in May 2008. The architectural firm of Spencer Maxwell Bullock (SMB) of Pensacola was chosen to provide the engineering and architectural planning for a complete renovation of the interior of the facility. SMB contracted with Johnson & Peoples of Ocala to collaborate in the design process that included specification that the building be renovated to meet LEED Gold certification. IHMC also utilized the services of Contract Resources (Pensacola) to promote an innovative, green, and progressive interior setting. Final construction documents were completed in early December 2008 and the project Request for Proposals was awarded to the general contractor BCBE Construction of Naples in March 2009. A major renovation of the facility ensued and, upon completion, culminated in a grand opening of IHMC Ocala on January 29th, 2010.

The renovations were purposefully done in a way that was complimentary to the downtown Ocala redevelopment plans—preserving the building’s historic ties and unique architecture, while emphasizing “Green” construction standards. Receiving this Gold certification also allows the IHMC facility to serve as a model showcase for the Ocala community.

While preserving its exterior architectural appearance, the interior of the former library underwent an extensive renovation to include individualized air regulators, movement sensors, skylights, other energy efficiencies, and the use of “green” materials, equipment, and furniture wherever possible. The building is ADA compliant. The green-based renovations were funded in part by a grant from the US Economic Development Administration (EDA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce known for promoting and supporting environmental-friendly building reuse.

“Buildings are a prime example of how human systems integrate with natural systems,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The IHMC Ocala project efficiently uses our natural resources and makes an immediate, positive impact on our planet, which will tremendously benefit future generations to come.”

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 32,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 9.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries.

For more information on BCBE Construction, please visit our website at www.bcbe.com or contact Trisha Davidson at (239) 643-3343.

For more information on LEED certification, visit www.usgbc.org

For more information on IHMC, please visit www.ihmc.us or contact Julie Sheppard at (850) 202-4400 or Dr. Row Rogacki, IHMC Ocala at (850) 202-4492.