The new corporate aircraft hangar at US-based Gary/Chicago International Airport has been awarded the LEED Gold certification by the US Green Building Council.
Recently built by Gary Jet Center and LEE Companies, the 40,000ft² hangar has subsequently become the first LEED-certified building in Gary, Indiana, US.
The LEED rating system is a worldwide certification programme that awards buildings with improved environmental performance and sustainability.
Gary Jet Center president and CEO Wil Davis said: "Obtaining LEED certification through our partnership with LEE Companies is an important step in leading the charge for environmental sustainability at the Gary/Chicago International Airport."
The new hangar offers a 47% energy cost savings as GJC Hangar III uses 33% less energy than the average hangar, while the recycled content of the building materials reached the level of 53%.
LEE Companies president Pat Lee said: "It might seem a contradiction to focus on environmentally sustainable projects in the middle of the Rust Belt, but our vision is to help change the image of the region with a commitment to green-building initiatives."
Gary Jet Center is a full-service fixed base operator at the Gary/Chicago International Airport, while LEE Companies is a Gary-based project and construction management firm.
