Following the recent pledge by Puerto Rico's government to convert several of its public properties into "green" buildings, the Puerto Rico Convention Center and the Coliseum of Puerto Rico have been tapped as the first properties on the island to be transformed into eco-friendly buildings.
With an investment of $250,000 to reduce the use of electricity and water, the Puerto Rico Convention Center and other developments within the 113-acre district will decrease the use of water by 30 percent and the use of electricity by 50 percent for an on-going savings of $450,000 per year upon completion. After completely incorporating these initiatives, the buildings will receive the U.S. Green Building Council's “Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design” (LEED) certification, considered the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, according to a written release.