The Chicago Transit Authority announced its West Loop headquarters earned the highest-possible rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. It is one of only a few buildings in Chicago to achieve this elite status.

CTA achieved the LEED platinum status thanks to the efforts of its property manager Transwestern, a commercial real estate services firm that oversees the CTA headquarters facilities.

“CTA is an example of my administration’s efforts to embed sustainability throughout City government,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “We continue to look for ways to make sure our government is protecting our resources and seeking economic opportunity related to sustainability.”

Three quarters of CTA employees who work at the building use public transportation, enabling the CTA to reach LEED certification.

In 2007, CTA’s headquarters was the first building in Illinois to be awarded a LEED Gold rating for an existing building. The building uses green-building standards such as a green roof, energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems, plumbing fixtures that reduce water use, a comprehensive recycling program, environmentally friendly cleaning and pest control, an indoor air quality program and natural light in workspaces.

The LEED program contributes to the CTA bottom line by emphasizing efficient use of energy and water. The projected savings are a 28% reduction of water consumption, and building energy consumption is expected to be reduced by 10% a result of the improvements implemented at the headquarters building.