Crystal Spa is the Midwest’s only LEED-certified spa and one of just six in the nation. What does that mean anyway?
LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.” In order to earn certification Crystal Spa was designed to meet energy-efficient and eco-friendly criteria set by the U.S. Green Building Council in six different categories: sustainable building sites, water efficiency, energy & atmosphere, materials & resources, indoor environmental quality and innovation & design process.

How extensive is the certification process?
The document submitted by Crystal Mountain for LEED-certification was approximately two inches thick. Perhaps, the design and operation of Crystal Spa serves as the best example of Crystal Mountain’s commitment to environmental stewardship not simply as an initiative but a philosophical approach to doing business.

Sustainable Building Site

v  Crystal Spa was an expansion upon the Peak Pool & Fitness Center. Since this was a previously developed site it was not necessary to disturb an existing wooded area or animal habitat.

v  Crystal Mountain is designed to be a pedestrian-friendly resort village. This design, coupled with the placement of Crystal Spa at the center of the resort, contributes to the LEED-certification as well. Its location, near dense residential areas, encourages people to walk while nearby bike racks encourage cycling which reduces the use of gasoline and car emissions.

v  Over half of the landscaping surrounding Crystal Spa consists of native or adapted plant life. The use of these native plants helps eliminate invasive species and at the same time serves as prime habitat for local wildlife.

v  Crystal Spa was built over an existing parking lot and paving has been minimized. The new parking lot has fewer spaces than the original helping to reduce car emissions. Light concrete has been used where possible while asphalt areas are shaded by trees to reduce the reflected heat (also called a “head island”) that artificially increases the air temperature.

Water Efficiency

v  The native plants and minimal grass lawns used in landscaping require less irrigation. These areas are watered using “drip irrigation,” a far more efficient method. Combined these techniques reduce the water needed for irrigation by 50%.

v  Inside the spa, motion sensitive sinks & faucets, waterless urinals, and low-flow toilets are features you may not even notice but significantly reduce water consumption.

Energy & Atmosphere

v  Crystal Mountain has purchased wind energy credits from Renewable Choice Energy equal to 72% of the energy the spa uses over a three year period.

v  Ground water heat pumps, energy efficient lighting fixtures, natural light, high R-value foam insulation, as well as energy efficient windows and doors are a few of the methods that allows the spa to use 28% less energy than a similar baseline building.

v  None of the cooling equipment uses CFC-refrigerants which are harmful to the ozone layer. Furthermore, a commissioning of all heating, cooling, lighting, and power systems ensures all equipment was installed correctly and working properly to reduce the amount of wasted energy.

Materials & Resources

v  64% of the materials used in construction of the spa and demolition of the existing building were recycled or reused.

v  30% of the construction materials were extracted and manufactured within 500 miles, reducing energy used and emissions created in transportation of materials.

v  Bamboo flooring and fly ash, used in place of Portland cement in concrete slabs, are two of the recycled and rapidly renewable materials used in construction of Crystal Spa.

Indoor Environmental Quality

v  During construction, ducts were protected from dust and dirt accumulation. Absorptive materials were protected from water, mold, and mildew damage.  These techniques encouraged good indoor air quality for both construction workers and future spa guests and employees.

v  Low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) producing sealants, adhesives, paints, and carpets were used in the spa to maintain good indoor air quality. Permanent entry mats were installed in the building to reduce the amount of outdoor contaminants brought into the building while indoor spaces, such as the pool equipment room, have exhaust fans to pull fumes from the building.

v  Spa guests and employees have a high degree of control of lighting fixtures and thermostats throughout the building, providing them with a more comfortable environment. In fact, guests and employees are surveyed to determine if adjustments need to be made to ensure greater comfort and productivity.

Innovation & Design Process

v  Rainwater from the roof, walkways and parking lot drains into an underground piping system and is then stored in ponds throughout Crystal Mountain. The water is then used to irrigate the resort’s two championship golf courses, reducing the amount of potable water used in irrigation.

v  Well water is used by the Crystal Spa heat pump system to heat and cool the building. During the winter, the system draws heat from the water to warm the building. In turn, the cold water is sent to collection ponds that feed into Crystal Mountain’s snowmaking system. This heat pump system is not only an efficient way to heat the spa but it saves Crystal from needing a separate process to cool the water for snowmaking. During the summer, the system uses the water to cool the building with the warmer water being directed to collection pools and then used to irrigate the resort’s two championship golf courses.

For more information on LEED-certification visit the U.S. Green Building Council’s website at www.usgbc.org.