White House environmental adviser tours Henderson facility

The chairwoman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Nancy Sutley, visited Henderson on May 10 to discuss the city's sustainability initiatives and practices.

Sutley, who serves as an environmental adviser for President Barack Obama, toured the Heritage Park Aquatic Complex and Senior Facility, 310 S. Racetrack Road, which received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Sutley said it is important for communities to look for ways to be sustainable.

"Our homes, businesses and factories across the country account for about 70 percent of the energy we consume," Sutley said. "The kinds of things you are doing here are really the common-sense steps communities across the country can take to reduce pollution and energy use."

In addition to making the community cleaner, Sutley said, the money saved from sustainable practices could benefit the city.

"It is the groundwork for our future prosperity," Sutley said.

Sutley said the Obama administration has laid out a blueprint to "make an economy that is built to last," in which energy and environmental efficiency is looked at.

"America has to lead in clean energy," Sutley said.

The administration, Sutley said, is implementing tougher fuel standards that will save drivers "more than $8,000 at the pump over time." The administration also has reduced greenhouse gases by "millions of metric tons," she said.

Sutley said sustainability practices also have created American jobs.

"The Department of Labor released a report," Sutley said. "There were more than 3 million jobs that have been linked to the production of green energy in 2010."

Of that, Sutley said 17,000 have been in Nevada.

But Sutley said there still needs to be more progress.

Henderson has been trying to do its part. City officials have been adamant about becoming a beacon of eco-friendly practices since they made sustainability part of the city's strategic goals in 2011.

City architect Mark Hobaica and other city officials showed Sutley the sustainable features of the Heritage Park facility, which include a ground source geothermal heat pump system, on-site stormwater management, LED lighting, ultraviolet pool water treatment, solar panels and water-efficient landscaping and irrigation.

During the press conference, Mayor Andy Hafen talked about some of the city's other practices that have not only resulted in it becoming more environmentally friendly but also have saved money.

"We are saving $2 million a year," Hafen said.

Hafen said sustainable practices have resulted in the city using 20 percent less electricity, 9 percent less natural gas and 8 percent less water.

The amount of greenhouse gas that has been reduced is equivalent to removing 2,662 cars from the road, Hafen said.

Hafen also touched on the city's single-stream recycling program, which the City Council recently voted to implement citywide. The program allows residents to put recyclable items in one receptacle opposed to three separate bins.

"It's increased recycling from 6 percent to 30 percent," Hafen said.

Hafen also hopes to see more buildings built the way the Heritage Park facilities were designed.

"Every new facility going forward will be built to U.S. Green Building Council's standard," Hafen said.

Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 387-5201.