Congrats to HALL Wines for becoming California’s first Gold LEED® certified winery! The Napa Valley St. Helena vineyard and winery is the first wine facility in the state to receive a Gold certification rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.
“The certification of HALL Wines not only marks a momentous occasion for the wine industry of California, but demonstrates how all industries can choose to be solvers of our collective environmental challenges,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The HALL Wines project efficiently uses natural resources, makes an immediate positive impact on our planet and as a business leader, can expect to reap financial benefits over the lifecycle of the building.”
LEED® certification requires a number of sustainable regulations. The HALL Vineyard and Winery facilities include:
- Radiant floors providing energy efficient temperature adjustments throughout the facility.
- 42,000 square feet of solar panels, offering 35% of the energy needed to power the winery.
- Materials used to build the facility were manufactured within 500 miles of the project site.
- More than 10% of the materials used were made with recycled content.
- Drought tolerant plants were selected for the winery landscaping, reducing the irrigation demand by more than 50%, with all landscaping and vineyards irrigated with recycled water.
- Low-flow water outlets implemented throughout the facility, equating to a 40% reduction in water usage.
- Recycling and utilization of recycled materials whenever possible, including recyclable packaging.
“Visitors come to HALL to experience hand-crafted Cabernet Sauvignon and are excited to learn about our vineyards, buildings, and operations, which result in a minimal carbon footprint.” [Owner and Vintner of HALL Wines, Kathryn Hall] says, “At HALL Wines, we grow our own grapes and craft our wines, and so we are obligated to ensure the health of the land, as well as that of the greater Napa Valley ecosystem.”
HALL is also leading the pack by providing organic farming of all of their vineyards, and expects to receive full organic certification from the California Certified Organic Farmers by early 2010.
~Jennifer Heigl
Comments are closed.