Florida Trend magazine recently highlighted Alys Beach as the first community in the state to be certified LEED green by the Florida Green Building Coalition. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system evaluates buildings based on their environmental impacts and encourages sustainability efforts. Developments pursuing LEED certification earn points for incorporating sustainable elements into their projects, including energy-efficient lights, solar panels, and native landscaping.

The article cites:

“Alys Beach, a master-planned beachfront community in the Panhandle, features buildings with white roofs and walls to reflect heat from the sun. Cobblestone streets allow rainwater to naturally filter into the soil below, reducing problems associated with runoff. Native plants are used to minimize the need for water, fertilizer and pesticides.

 Although construction on the first houses in Alys began in 2004, the development was slow to take off because of a spate of hurricanes, the recession and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Today, the community includes 125 residences and 18,000 square feet of commercial space.

 Developer EBSCO, based in Birmingham, Ala., requires all homes to be certified as green by the FGBC, making Alys the first community in Florida to do so. Among the homes’ green features are spray foam insulation to reduce air leakage and energy- and water-efficient appliances.”

For more information, or to read the article in its entirely, please click here.