MILWAUKEE, WI – (June 13, 2007) - - Senior leadership of Johnson Controls, a global Fortune 100 company that creates smart environments where people live, work and travel, today joined with the developers and owners of Independence Station, a $15 million, 57,000 square-foot mixed-use, urban development in downtown Independence, Oregon in signing a Declaration of Energy Independence.
The Declaration, a ceremonial agreement to make significant
reductions in consumption of non-renewable sources of energy was signed
by leadership of the two organizations during the Energy Efficiency
Forum in Washington, D.C. After the Forum, the document will be put on
permanent display at Independence Station.
Independence Station is the largest single project ever built in the
Historic Independence downtown district. The facility is meant to be a
catalyst to the area’s recent community development success, providing
an enhanced level of vitality and urban character. Upon its completion,
in 2008, Independence Station is expected to achieve LEED platinum
certification, the highest level of green building recognition
attainable with 64 to 66 LEED points, making it the highest scoring
LEED building in the world.
"The developer of Independence Station is embarking on an exciting
project to transform this historic community into one of the greenest
in the world,” said Clay Nesler, vice president of global energy and
sustainability of Johnson Controls’ building efficiency business.
“Independence Station has the potential to be an example for other,
larger communities to follow in creating sustainable neighborhoods and
districts."
“At Independence Station, residents, businesses and visitors alike
will experience what an intelligent sustainable building can really
be,” said Steven Ribeiro of Aldeia LLC, owner/developer of Independence
Station. ”A few pioneering people will have the opportunity to set an
example for others, residing in this living building, powered primarily
by vegetable oil and the sun.”
Ribeiro said that green buildings are gradually becoming more common,
and that Oregon is a recognized leader in sustainable living. Until
now, however, consumers seeking healthy and green living have had to
locate within large, congested urban centers or move to rural areas
with no nearby amenities.
