Metro's Gateway Headquarters. Photo by Metro Transportation Library and Archive, via Flickr.

Metro has received the LEED Gold designation for sustainable energy and environmental design for its Gateway headquarters building adjacent to Union Station in downtown L.A. — an achievement shared by only a few transit headquarters buildings in the United States.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Existing Buildings/Operations and Maintenance (LEED-EBOM) Gold designation recognizes Metro’s continuing contribution to advancing green construction for a healthier workplace, cleaner environment and efficient operations.

The certification is presented by the U.S. Green Building Council to buildings that reduce greenhouse gas emissions through improved building performance, including energy savings, water efficiency, improved indoor environmental quality and responsible stewardship of resources.

The improved performance of Gateway headquarters has resulted in a 6 percent decrease in electricity use, a 13 percent decrease in natural gas use and a 48 percent decrease in water use. These translate to a total cost savings of about $100,000 a year.

The LEED effort was spearheaded by Metro’s Environmental Compliance and Services group with significant contributions from general services, procurement, operations and corporate safety departments.

Metro Gateway Headquarters has previously received an Energy Star rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.