The Palazzo Las Vegas announced that the U.S. Green Building Council made its "green" status official with the presentation of a Silver LEED Certificate at an award ceremony held today. Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons and David E. Rodgers, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency at the U.S. Department of Energy were also on-hand to honor this impressive accomplishment.

During the ceremony Governor Gibbons issued a proclamation in recognition of The Palazzo's commitment to energy conservation. The DOE presented The Palazzo with "The Energy Innovator's Award" which recognizes businesses, individuals, and governmental agencies that have successfully developed or deployed energy-efficient and/or renewable energy technologies, services, or policies.

According to USGBC, The Palazzo is not only the largest LEED-certified building in the world, but is over four times bigger than the second-largest. "The Palazzo is to be commended for achieving LEED certification. This facility is one that both the community and its guests can be proud of," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO, Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council.

The Palazzo employs such effective environmentally-efficient technologies that it conserves enough water to provide each Nevada citizen with 266 eight-ounce glasses of water for a year and saves enough energy to light a 100 watt light bulb for 12,100 years. It even promotes alternative modes of transportation by offering valet parking-for bicycles. Key features that contribute to The Palazzo's tremendous conservation include:

• Artificial turf, drip irrigation and moisture sensors in planted areas result in over a 75% reduction in irrigation needs.
• Swimming pools at The Palazzo are heated with an expansive solar pool heating system. In the summer, the excess solar energy not needed for the pools is directed to the hotel's hot water system, reducing the need to heat water for guest suites.
• Air conditioning controls in guest suites that automatically setback by several degrees when guests are not present and reset to the desired temperature upon return.
• Team member service areas equipped with lighting occupancy sensors that shut off lights when no one is in the area.
• Interior plumbing fixtures use 37% less water than conventional buildings as a result of water-efficient showerheads, high efficiency toilets and low-flow lavatory faucet aerators.
• Moisture sensors monitor real time, site specific air temperature, humidity, rainfall and other factors to provide daily watering cycle adjustment.
• A waste recycling program implemented from demolition through completion diverted over 70% of waste from the landfill.
• The building's structural steel averaged 95% recycled content, while the concrete averaged a 26% recycled content rate.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED provides building owners and operators with the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings' performance. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project is environmentally responsible, energy-efficient, and a healthy place to live and work.