Writing about New Jersey and sustainability usually means writing about solar power – I’ve certainly done enough of it over the last year or so. But water is equally green – just ask our friends (and sponsor) at Mack-Cali, which just received LEED Silver certification on its Liberty Corner Corporate Center, 106 Allen Rd., in Bernards Township, in part because of its water reduction.

The installation of highly efficient plumbing fixtures has resulted in water savings of 23%, while improvements to the irrigation system provided a 66% reduction in water.

Other elements also contributed to the designation, including a recycling effort that resulted in a 55% diversion of waste from area landfills, a sustainable purchasing plan that reduced mercury content lighting, and even a green cleaning program. Sustainable Systems LLC, owned by Gerard Hazel (no relation), consulted.

The Class A, a four-story, 132,010-square foot building, achieved an Energy Star rating of 95, placing it in the top five percent of similar buildings.

“Today, businesses and government agencies are more environmentally conscious and are looking specifically for office properties that are energy efficient and more sustainable, with a goal of reducing their overall carbon footprint,” Mack-Cali president and CEO Mitchell E. Hersh said in the announcement.

The best part is that this certification is in the Existing Buildings: Operation & Maintenance category; Liberty Corner was built in 1999, so it’s not as though there was any major reconstruction involved. That means that other office facilities, even those that aren’t Class A, can do at least something to make their environments – and the planet – a little cleaner.