For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Sam Gil
Camillus House
305-374-1065 ext. 328 (office)
samgil@camillus.org • www.camillus.org
Camillus House to build first "green" treatment facility for homeless persons in Florida
MIAMI – Camillus House is going “green” by unveiling plans for the construction of Florida’s first energy efficient and environmentally balanced facility servicing the needs of persons who are chronically homeless.
The agency’s new 340-bed campus is set to break ground in late October 2008 on a 3.1-acre property along Northwest Seventh Avenue between 15th and 17th streets.
The new campus has been officially registered as a project that intends to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council for sustainable construction. Camillus House has retained Sequil Systems, Inc. of Delray Beach to guide the agency in designing in and implementing the LEED guidelines. SEQUIL is providing LEED program management, building commissioning and energy modeling for the entire 8-building campus. Wolfberg Alvarez and Partners is the architectural and engineering firm designing the project.
In addition to the positive ecological results, the design will enable the new Camillus House campus to achieve a significant reduction in utilities – energy and water – thereby lowering the consumption/cost of these precious resources. Through effective design, the architects and engineers have incorporated improvements to site maintenance and recycling which will contribute to a significant reduction in operational costs.
The LEED certification will ensure a cleaner and healthier atmosphere for staff, clients and the surrounding community through improved air quality, reduced environmental toxins and energy-efficient lighting. All of the “green” improvements also will reduce the facility’s impact on nature, therefore contributing to the well-being of the planet.
“The end result will be a campus free of toxins and pollutants with a reduced carbon footprint, and significant operational cost savings,” said Camillus House President and CEO Dr. Paul R. Ahr. “Our employees, our homeless clients, our neighbors and the environment all win.”
Camillus House has provided humanitarian services to persons who are poor and homeless in Miami-Dade County for 48 years. Established by the Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd in 1960, Camillus House has grown steadily over the years from a small overnight shelter into a full-service center for persons who are poor and homeless.