Old Greenwood Only Golf Facility in U.S. to Earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Distinction

Natural Resource Management Center receives coveted green building certification

Old Greenwood, a year-round resort community in Truckee, Calif., recently became the only golf facility in the United States to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) status. The award was for its Natural Resource Management Center.

“Old Greenwood is to be commended for its commitment to environmentally sustainable building,” said Rick Fedrizzi, U.S. Green Building Council’s president, chief executive officer and founding chair.

LEED was created by the USGBC, a non-profit organization in Washington, D.C. It provides a national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.

“We are proud that our projects have been sought out as an example by national environmental leaders,” said Aaron Revere, director of environmental initiatives.

East West Partners, Old Greenwood’s parent company, modeled the Old Greenwood Natural Resource Management Center into a leading example for local green building. This facility was created by a local team including Isbell Construction, Ward Young Architecture, Beaudin Ganze Engineers and Perennial Landscaping. The 11,500-square-foot facility serves two golf courses instead of the typical one. It consists of a golf course maintenance facility, fuel/wash station, irrigation/fertilization pump-house, material recycling bays, storage islands and offices.

Here are some highlights of the sustainable and unique strategies and accomplishments of the project:

• Wash station recycles vehicle/equipment wash water and organics for reuse as golf course irrigation and compost.
• Water-saving features earned all credits for efficient landscaping and water-use reduction, including infrared faucet control and waterless urinals. In addition, the drip irrigation system water is from golf course rainwater capture, recirculation ponds and wash water recycling.
• Building performance exceeded California Energy Code, Title 24 standards, by 26 percent.
• Project diverted more than 94 percent of construction waste away from landfill by recycling and reuse.
• Project building materials contain more than 10 percent of post-consumer recycled content, which helps close the loop and encourages additional recycling in the manufacturing process.
• Project achieved 50 percent wind power through purchase of green tags.
• Project protected intermittent on-site stream and avoided natural assemblages during clearing.
• Restoration included areas and wildlife corridors with shrub and herb layers as well as trees to increase the vertical vegetation layers.
• Project allowed for a 259-acre parcel preserve of Ponderosa Pine forest ecosystem, which has a permanent conservation easement and dedicated to the Truckee Donner Land Trust.

East West Partners prides itself on building more environmentally intelligent projects including Wild Goose restaurant on the shore of North Lake Tahoe, which previously received green building certification in 2005. Its highlights include:

1. Recycled denim insulation
2. 100 percent recycled milk jug walls in the kitchen and bars
3. All wood surfaces sustainably harvested including dining tables
4. 62 percent recycled content steel
5. 70 percent of building materials were manufactured regionally
6. 50 percent wind power through purchase of green tags
7. Infrared faucet controls and occupancy light sensors in restrooms

Other East West Partners projects that will soon submit for LEED green building status include Old Greenwood’s Swim-Fitness Pavilion, House Pro Shop, the Village at Northstar Phase I, the Village at Northstar Phase II and Schaffer’s Camp restaurant. Following suit, the Highlands Lodge Resort and Spa has registered as a new LEED construction project. And the townhome projects have applied for the new LEED Homes Pilot Program. 

In addition to being environmentally friendly, the community also offers private houses as well as luxury fractional homes. The design takes advantage of the spectacular setting with homes tucked into the woods along the Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course that Golf Digest ranked America’s No. 4 best new upscale public course. This course is managed organically.

These homes include membership in the Tahoe Mountain Club which provides activities and events for owners and members throughout the year and includes access to Wild Goose Restaurant; exclusive privileges at the highly-regarded Brad Bell-designed Coyote Moon Golf Course; use of The Pavilion, a swim, tennis, fitness and spa facility at Old Greenwood; access to The Alpine Club, a ski lounge in the heart of the New Village at Northstar as well as a members-only ski-in/ski-out restaurant atop Northstar called Schaffer’s Camp. There’s also a daily shuttle service during the ski season to Northstar-at-Tahoe, rated by Ski Magazine in the 2005 Reader Resort Survey as one of the Top 5 resorts for families in the West.

Old Greenwood is part of Tahoe Mountain Resorts, which also includes The Village at Northstar, Gray’s Crossing and The Highlands. Tahoe Mountain Club memberships are reserved exclusively for owners within the Tahoe Mountain Resorts properties. All four strive to offer owners a true sense of community – a place where they can create new memories and traditions while enjoying the Tahoe lifestyle. Created by East West Partners, Old Greenwood is the latest of their planned mountain resorts that includes Beaver Creek in the Colorado Rockies.

Old Greenwood is located just one mile east of downtown Truckee and 40 minutes west of Reno off Interstate 80, Exit 190. For additional information, visit: www.oldgreenwood.com. For golf, please call the Pro Shop at (530) 550-7010. For real estate information, please call (800) 754-3070.