DART Central Station, the primary transfer location for Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) buses in downtown Des Moines, IL, has been certified LEED Platinum, the highest certification of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Rating System of the U.S. Green Building Council.

“Building the station sustainably was good not only for the environment, but also for customers,” said DART General Manager Elizabeth Presutti. “By spending less of our limited operating budget on water and electricity, we were able to spend more on staffing to better serve the people who visit the station.”

The facility achieved certification through sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. For example:

* 24 percent of construction materials were recycled;
* 28 percent of the materials were manufactured regionally;
* 70 geothermal wells help with heating and cooling;
* 23,100 kilowatt-hours of energy have been generated since the center opened by rooftop photovoltaic panels, a savings of 39,274 pounds of carbon dioxide; and
* 1.2 million gallons of rainwater have been captured, cleaned, and reused in place of potable water since opening for tasks such as washing bus platforms—63 percent of total water used.

The station opened in November 2012, replacing the former Walnut Street Transit Mall. Passenger amenities include climate-controlled waiting areas, covered loading platforms, a bicycle storage room, and a coffeehouse.

Other LEED Platinum certified public transit facilities in the U.S. include the Emil “Lucky” Reznik Administration, Maintenance and Operations Facility, operated by the South Bend Public Transportation Corporation, South Bend, IN, and an Orange County Transportation Authority facility in Anaheim, CA, scheduled to open in 2014.