General interior shots of the Maguire Toyota, Scion, Kia, Volvo, Volkswagen and Audi store

ITHACA, NY – The earth-friendly efforts of the Maguire Family of Dealerships have resulted in a LEED (Leadership of Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for the Maguire Toyota, Scion, Kia, Volvo, Volkswagen and Audi store in Ithaca, NY. Maguire Family of Dealerships is the first and only multi-brand dealership to receive this prestigious accreditation in the United States.

Maguire’s LEED Platinum Certification, the highest level of certification granted by the U.S. Green Building Council, was granted in May 2012 and made possible by the dealership’s achievements in all five green design categories of the Council’s rating system: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality.

To give a few examples, Maguire can now reuse its roof-collected rainwater to wash cars, flush toilets, and water landscaping. The building’s new roof also includes solar panels, which now generate 20% of the store’s electricity. The store can also reuse engine waste oil from customers’ oil changes by recycling it into various renewable applications.

Even the renovation and construction practices of the building earned high green marks, as Maguire reused 95% of the building’s original structure and recycled 97% of the project’s construction waste. For more examples of Maguire’s sustainability practices, see the extensive list below.

“We made this investment because it was the right thing to do for both our customers and our community. It was our way to contribute toward making Ithaca, NY a better place to live, visit, and do business,” says Tim Maguire, co-owner of the Maguire Family of Dealerships with Phil Maguire.

Maguire Family of Dealerships hired Ithaca-based architectural firm Schickel Architecture to implement this eco-friendly project.

Complete list of Maguire’s sustainability practices

Conserving and reusing water

• Rainwater from roof collected in storage tanks for car wash, toilets, and landscaping
• 64% less water used than building of comparable size

Saving energy

• Solar power generates 20% of electricity from 180 photovoltaic panels on the roof
• Energy efficient lighting was used, which needs less than 1 watt per square foot, 34% more efficient than industry standards
• High performance building envelope uses 45% less energy than building of comparable size
• The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system is 34% more efficient than ASHRAE standards
• White Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) roofing materials were used to reflect sunlight and reduce heat gain
• Low U-value (0.29) insulated glass was used to limit heat gain from the sun
• 95% of interior spaces have natural light to limit the use of artificial lighting

Smart building

• 95% of the existing structure was reused during major renovations
• 97% of the construction waste was recycled
• More than 22% of all the construction materials were recycled products
• Wood installed was harvested using best sustainable practices
• 100% of interior materials contain no or low VOC content

Taking care of green customers

• The dealership is located on TCAT and Tioga Transit Bus Routes
• Bicycle racks, locker rooms, and showers are provided on site
• Recycling customers’ engine waste oil into renewable applications
• Designated parking for low emission and hybrid vehicles
• 40% of the construction materials were manufactured locally

About U.S. Green Building Council

The U.S. Green Building Council uses the Leadership in Environmental Energy & Design (LEED) rating system to provide building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

About Maguire Family of Dealerships

The Maguire Family of Dealerships has a strong and committed up-front lowest pricing philosophy and non-commission sales and service environment with 37 years of experience satisfying its customers’ automobile needs.