ASPCA Awarded LEED Gold Certification for New Recovery & Rehabilitation Center, Seeks Certification for Soon-to-Open Los Angeles Facility

NEW YORK - The ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) is proud to announce that the ASPCA Recovery & Rehabilitation Center in Pawling, N.Y., has achieved LEED Gold Certification under the LEED v4 BD+C: New Construction rating system. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence.

The ASPCA Recovery & Rehabilitation Center is a 33,000 square-foot space that provides high-quality integrated behavioral and medical care to animals rescued in partnership with the New York City Police Department (NYPD). The new Center gives even more rescued animals the critical space, time and support they need to heal and to treat dogs with behavior and medical problems that cause suffering and prevent adoption, allowing the ASPCA to significantly increase its capacity to care for some of New York City's most vulnerable animals.

The ASPCA Recovery & Rehabilitation Center earned 62 points, incorporating high-impact strategies across:

• Sustainable Sites: habitat protection, rainwater management that replicates natural conditions, and reduced light pollution that supports animal wellbeing.
• Water Efficiency: indoor and outdoor water savings that equal to a 40% potable water use reduction, saving 70,000 gallons of potable water per year.
• Energy & Atmosphere: optimized HVAC and lighting performance, with 23% energy savings and offsetting 20% of total energy cost over a 10-year period.
• Materials & Resources: robust waste diversion, diverting 87% of construction waste from landfill.
• Indoor Environmental Quality: enhanced air quality measures and low-emitting materials that protect human and animal health in indoor environments.

In 2026, the ASPCA seeks certification for its soon-to-open ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic in Los Angeles, which will provide access to affordable veterinary services for underserved pet owners. Key features of the building include:

• Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Reduction: electric vehicle charging stations to help reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gases.
• Heat Island Reduction: cool roof strategies to reduce heat island effect and lower cooling energy use.
• Outdoor Water Use: outdoor water use reduced by 70% through the installation of drought-tolerant plants and smart irrigation.
• Indoor Water Use: water use cut by over 35% via low-flow fixtures, helping reduce water scarcity impacts.
• Energy Reduction: use of renewable energy and other strategies for 28.9% energy savings and lower carbon footprint. The ASPCA will also be purchasing a 20% carbon offset covering 10 years of the project's carbon impacts from energy use.
• Indoor Environmental Quality: use of enhanced ventilation, high-efficiency filtration and CO2 sensors for cleaner air.
• Materials: use of locally sourced materials that reduce the carbon footprint of the construction and low-emitting materials that protect occupant health.

The Recovery and Rehabilitation Center's LEED Gold Certification reflects a strong collaborative effort across the ASPCA and the project's engineering, construction, architecture, and design companies, including, HLW, Animal Arts, and BEYOND.

For more information on the ASPCA's work to help vulnerable and victimized animals across the country, please visit www.aspca.org.

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About the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to transforming how buildings and communities are designed, built and operated to create thriving, healthy, equitable and resilient places that advance human and environmental wellbeing. USGBC leads market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, an international network of local community leaders, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools, and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

About the ASPCA^®
The ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) believes every animal deserves to live free from suffering. For more than 150 years, we've been on the frontlines to save, transform and protect millions of lives in the fight against animal cruelty. As the nation's first and leading animal welfare organization, we assist animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal relocation and placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary communities through research, training and resources. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than 2 million supporters nationwide, our commitment to eliminating animal cruelty is unwavering. For more information, visit aspca.org, and follow the ASPCA on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

About BEYOND
BEYOND specializes in sustainable, resilient, and wellness-focused solutions for the built environment. With a team of seasoned sustainability experts, we consistently deliver high-performance projects that maximize value, repair ecology, decarbonize, and improve health and wellness. We know sustainability is not always a one-size-fits-all solution. Through custom sustainability frameworks, research-backed strategies, and scalable solutions, we not only reach but also go beyond project sustainability goals.