Back in July, I had the opportunity to take a tour of the headquarters for the National Tropical Botanical Gardens (NTBG) in Kauai.

Why would I want to tour the headquarters of the NTBG?

Because it's the first LEED-certified building on the island. And with a gold rating, it's a pretty spectacular building, boasting serious green credentials. . .

• Certified tropical hardwood which was used for exterior siding and interior stairs

• A 30 Kw photovoltaic system on the roof

• Rainwater catchment

• Plumbing system that uses 30 percent less potable water than standard fixtures

• No chlorofluorocarbon-based refrigerants used in air-conditioning or refrigeration systems

• Motion sensor lighting systems

• Environmentally-friendly paints, sealants and carpeting

The inside of the building also gets exceptional lighting by utilizing overhead clerestory windows.

I've seen a lot of LEED-certified buildings, but I have to admit that the lighting in this building was truly impressive. Strolling through the NTBG's library, I was convinced that this really will be the status quo in lighting in the very near future. It's just a no-brainer.

The NTBG had some pretty impressive landscaping too.

In an effort to allow the land around the building to absorb more water and diffuse it to the surrounding landscaping, permeable outdoor surfaces were created by embedding hollow plastic rings in a gravelpave system.

Of course, the landscaping boasts drought-tolerant native Hawaiian species that are well-suited for the environment. And it helps eliminate the need for permanent outside irrigation too.

The building was also designed to reduce the release of sediment, minimize soil erosion, and lessen the overall environmental footprint. And throughout construction, more than 65 percent of all waste materials were diverted from the island's only landfill.

Though I have to admit, my favorite part was probably this...

As a strong supporter of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle integration, few things impress me more than charging stations.

To learn more about the NTBG, check out their website here.

Jeff