(Burlington, VT) Lake Champlain Chocolates (LCC) opened a packaging and distribution facility constructed in accordance with LEED® certification at 444 Pine Street in Burlington. The building, formerly a manufacturing plant, is down the street from LCC's 750 Pine Street location, and will consolidate packaging, warehousing, and shipping. Manufacturing, administration, the Factory Store & Cafe, and factory tours will continue to be at 750 Pine Street. Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design (LEED) is a voluntary, consensus-based green building national standard developed by the U.S. Green Building Council for constructing high-performance, sustainable buildings.
"Our customers appreciate Lake Champlain Chocolates being environmentally responsible, and LEED certification makes sense for many additional reasons," said Jim Lampman, founder and president of LCC. "It creates a healthier workplace for our employees, reduces our environmental impact, and produces operational efficiencies for the lifetime of the building," Lampman continued.
The 47,000 square foot building is expected to earn LEED certification based on qualities such as energy-efficient HVAC & lighting fixtures including daylight & occupancy sensors, utilizing natural light through energy-efficient skylights & windows, high insulation values for the walls & roof, low-emitting materials, water-efficient plumbing fixtures, increased ventilation effectiveness, using FSC-certified finished woods, designating recycling & bike rack areas, and recycling building materials during construction. Further reduction in environmental impact was achieved by refurbishing an existing building and sourcing the majority of building materials locally. The building is 27% more energy efficient than one built to code, and will cost 42% less to operate.
The architect is John Anderson of John Anderson Studio. The general contractor is Tom Mackin of TFM Construction Company. John F. Penney, PE of John F. Penney Consulting Services, PC is the commissioning agent. The mechanical and electrical systems were constructed under a design build contract. Additional team members were Burlington Electric Department, Climate Systems, and Hegeman Electric.
The U.S. Green Building Council is the nation’s leading coalition of corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations working together to promote buildings and communities that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. Since its founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 6,300 member companies and organizations, a 75-person professional staff, a broad portfolio of LEED® rating systems and services, the industry's popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, and a network of over 70 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups.
Lake Champlain Chocolates offers sweet indulgences that capture the essence of Vermont, the tradition of making fine chocolate, and the pride that goes into each bite. Preservative-free and Kosher-certified, Lake Champlain Chocolates are crafted in small batches from the finest quality Belgian chocolate and select natural ingredients including local Vermont cream, sweet butter, maple syrup, and honey. Lake Champlain Chocolates are available online at www.lakechamplainchocolates.com, toll-free at 1-800-465-5909, as corporate gifts & wedding favors, at three company-owned retail stores in Vermont, and nationwide at specialty food & gift stores and upscale hotels & inns.