New start in platinum

On 4 May 2007 a tornado devastated almost 95 per cent of the small town of Greensburg in Kansas. In the reconstruction effort, the city authorities set themselves an ambitious goal: all new buildings that were publicly financed would strive to achieve LEED Platinum accreditation, the highest level within the certification system of the U.S. Green Building Council. In the months that followed, the 5.4.7 Arts Center (named after the date of the tornado) became a symbol of this sustainability strategy in the rebuilding of the community. This new arts centre is not only the first LEED Platinum-rated building in the state of Kansas, it is also the first building with this highest rating level in the United States to be planned and built entirely by students.