The benefits of creating a sustainable society go far beyond those enjoyed by mere human beings. Case in point: The Lied Animal Shelter's dog adoption campus at 655 N. Mojave Road in Las Vegas. This facility is one of a kind in the United States and provides a unique environment for its inhabitants as well as the folks who work there.

From the conceptual design through final construction, the focus was to create high-performance buildings that minimized environmental impact while increasing operational efficiency and savings. The result is an aesthetically pleasing arrangement of dog bungalows that provide effective shelter and an environment conducive to human/animal interaction that fosters the adoption process.

The Lied project is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system. It is currently undergoing the final certification process and is expected to gain a high rating, joining a growing number of LEED-certified projects nationwide.

Diane Orgill is executive director at the Animal Foundation. She said, "People respond well to the solar panels and Living Machine water recycling system. They feel good seeing that we can actually do something positive for the animals and help the environment at the same time."

The Living Machine is actually a bio-filtration system that filters and cleans water on site. Up to 30,000 gallons can be reused each day, primarily for washing down the dog runs. This not only conserves water, but energy as well, since less electricity is needed to pump water up from Lake Mead.

The floors in the bungalows are designed for the animals' comfort. Naturally cool in summer, the concrete floors also contain a radiant heating system that keeps them warm in winter. According to Orgill, "The floors are working well for the dogs laying directly on them, but the rooms are a bit cool for people." Adjustments are being made to accommodate both species.

Architect Randy Spitzmesser, principal at Tate Snyder Kimsey, was deeply involved in the design and construction of the project and shared some interesting insights.

"We made prudent design decisions to minimize costs," he said. Several strategies were incorporated into the project, including extensive use of recycled materials, energy-efficient indirect evaporative cooling, ventilation towers to draw fresh air into the bungalows and photovoltaic (PV) panels to generate electricity from the sun.

According to Spitzmesser, "We looked at the concept of enhancing adoption. Normally, it's the dogs that are running through our master-planned communities. With the bungalows, we try to give the impression that people are visiting the dogs in their master-planned community, rather than seeing them in doggie jail. Natural ventilation systems help keep the air fresh. It's all designed to improve adoption rates."

The Lied facility is over 60 percent more energy efficient than a typical shelter.

"The PV system produces up to 55 percent of the site's electrical needs during spring and fall," Spitzmesser said.

Even during the winter months, the system still produces more than 25 percent of the electricity on site. By producing its own power, the shelter is able to save additional water, since most electric plants use significant amounts of water to operate.

"One of the greatest benefits provided by the project is using the sun, our most abundant resource, to help preserve water, our scarcest resource," Spitzmesser added.

This is why green building and the larger concept of green living are so vital to our future. There are synergies created when we apply ourselves to living lighter on the planet. It is not only the animals who benefit from this wonderful facility. This is a win-win for all species. Please consider visiting the Lied Animal Shelter. You just might find your new best friend.

Steve Rypka is a green living consultant and president of GreenDream Enterprises, specializing in renewable energy, green building, alternative transportation and lifestyle choices for both residential and commercial clients. The company is committed to helping people live lighter on the planet. Steve can be reached via e-mail at steve@greendream.biz or at >www.greendream.bi