The U.S. Green Building Council has awarded Teachers Village a LEED Silver neighborhood development certification.The U.S. Green Building Council has awarded Teachers Village a LEED Silver neighborhood development certification.



The award follows a 2017 LEED Silver for schools certification by the Green Building Council.



“We are pleased to be recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council as a green, sustainable neighborhood development project that incorporates green infrastructure, energy conservation, and innovative design to create a walkable, transit-oriented, mixed-use community in the heart of downtown,” Ron Beit of RBH Group said in a news release. “It truly took a village to earn this LEED-ND award—one of only two in New Jersey to date. We are grateful to our team.”



According to the developer, Teachers Village received its score for transit accessibility, walkability, energy and water efficiency, use of recycled materials in infrastructure and others.



The project incorporated 53 percent recycled content in its infrastructure and saves over 12 percent in energy consumption annually.



Newark Mayor Ras Baraka congratulated RBH on its LEED certification.



“Newark is a proud host of both LEED-ND projects awarded in New Jersey since the inception of the USGBC certification program,” Baraka said in a statement. “Teachers Village sets a high bar as a model for the type of high-quality, environmentally responsible housing development we want to continue to attract to our city.”



Richard Meier and Partners Architects master-planned and designed buildings 1, 2, 6 and 7. KSS Architects designed buildings 5 and 8.



RBH said ARUP engineers, Phelps Construction Group and Hollister Construction Services also contributed to the success of the project.



“Conscientious design decisions integrating each sustainable feature to the architecture were the key aspirations that contribute to the success of this project,” Vivian Lee of Richard Meier & Partners Architects said in a news release. “The team not only delivered healthy, green buildings we also elevated the quality of living in an environmentally sensible community, with the hope to create a benchmark for future developments in Newark and setting an example for other cities in the country.”



Beit said the obtaining the certification fits within the vision of Teachers Village.



“We want the whole community to feel Teachers Village is a sustainable oasis downtown,” Beit said. “It’s a place for visitors, teachers and students, as well as residents and workers to come have a coffee, walk and shop on tree-lined streets and get to know their neighbors in a beautiful and inviting new neighborhood. We appreciate the USGBC’s recognition of Teachers Village for its contributions to making Newark a more green and sustainable city.”

