Still image from video courtesy of the Port of Long Beach.

The Port of Long Beach (POLB) received national recognition for its conservation efforts and was awarded “gold status” in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) by the the U.S. Green Building Council, they announced today.

Four POLB structures at the newest marine terminal—part of the first half of the $1.3 billion automated Middle Harbor terminal—were acclaimed for being close to all electric and with near zero emissions. The buildings function as administrative offices and meeting space, maintenance and operations structures and as an information technology center.

The buildings, ranging from 10,000 square feet to 50,000 square feet, cut water usage by 40 percent and were built from at least 25 percent recycled building materials. They also reduced energy usage by half in ventilation, air conditioning, lighting and heating, according to a release.

“This is truly a milestone for the Port of Long Beach,” Harbor Commission President Lori Ann Guzmán said in a statement. “Middle Harbor is the greenest and most technologically advanced terminal in the world. Projects like these prove our commitment to becoming the Green Port of the Future.”

Back in 2005, POLB launched the Green Port Policy in which the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners announced a commitment to LEED-certifying every new major building at the port. With the addition of the Middle Harbor buildings, the POLB has 10 LEED-certified buildings, nine of them being at the gold level and one being at the silver level.

LEED encourages the use of high-efficiency systems that reduce power usage and save water through low-flow water systems in restrooms and drought-tolerant landscaping. Workspaces include floor vents that deliver outside air and allow employees to control temperatures. Exterior features include reusing old asphalt, placing solar panels over parking lots and including special parking for fuel-efficient vehicles.

The port worked in collaboration with engineering consultants AECOM in the design of the terminal and S.J. Amoroso and W.E. O’Neil were in charge of construction.  

The second part of the Middle Harbor terminal is expected to be completed in 2020.