A new 12,000-sf office building in the Carriage Farm Business Community in Hillsborough has picked up LEED Silver Certification by the USGBC. It's the first commercial building in Somerset the County and 17th in New Jersey to earn that recognition for its energy and environmental design.

"Achieving a high level of energy efficiency was key to the building's design," says Ed Clerico, project manager and a principal of Carriage Farm LLC. "The installation of a geo-thermal heat pump system to provide heating and cooling combined with two 9.8-KW solar photovoltaic power systems, low E-glazing on all windows, and extensive use of low-energy fluorescent lights resulted in a 51% energy cost savings."

Other features: Recycled and sustainable materials were used extensively. An aggressive construction waste management plan resulted in 140 tons of waste diverted from landfills. Low-flow fixtures have reduced water use by 23%. And 87% of the land area remains open space, a portion of which incorporates an organic farming operation that received a LEED Innovation Credit.