Employment opportunities in this week's classifieds include two CEO positions and several high-level technical posts!

METRO Regional Transit Authority in Akron, OH, recently received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for the design and use of environmentally friendly materials on its Intermodal Transit Center, which opened in January 2009.

The center earned LEED points for using recycled materials during construction and recycling scrap materials after the initial construction. The transit center houses a 20,000-gallon underground tank that holds rainwater for non-potable uses, such as toilets and landscaping.

It also has 45 geothermal wells to heat and cool the facility, making it one of the largest geothermal fields in Summit County, and has 435 solar panels that generated 134,000 kilowatt-hours of power in their first year of operation.

METRO also is installing more than 3,500 solar panels at its bus garage, located down the street from the transit center. The agency anticipates that this solar display will generate 700,000 kilowatt hours of power annually.

Another “green” benefit is that METRO can sell solar credits from the transit center, bringing approximately $50,000 in annual revenue. The bus barn solar array may bring in more than $200,000 annually through sales of its solar credits.

The agency introduced its first diesel-electric hybrid bus to the 200-bus fleet in May. METRO is testing the Gillig hybrid bus for performance in the region, and hopes to purchase two more within the next year.

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