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In the pioneer town of Independence, Ore., Independence Station is on track to become the World’s Greenest Building with the highest LEED rating ever awarded for new construction. The 57,000-square-foot mixed-use structure by Aldeia, LLC is 40% complete, and when finished will house offices, retail space, a restaurant, research facilities, a Direct Current (DC) power based data server room, classroom space, and 15 residential units for 21st century pioneers who will work together to shatter worldwide energy consumption guidelines.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is an internationally accepted tool to measure sustainable green building and development practices. The current record holder, a Canadian project, has a score of 63 out of a possible 69 points. At its completion next year, Independence Station will likely earn between 64 and 66 points, bringing the top score back to the United States.

Independence Station’s potential rating is owed primarily to its use of renewable energy sources – mostly the sun and vegetable oil – and the means of distributing, storing and managing that energy efficiently throughout the building. The building will boast a unique 120 kilowatt installation of photovoltaic panels. During sunny months, the panels will produce more than enough energy to run the building, store extra energy in a large battery bank for nighttime use as well as feed power back into the grid. Independence Station is likely to be the most comprehensive “Smart Grid” project ever built.

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