This is a story that aired on OETA Public Television's The Oklahoma News Report in Tulsa Oklahoma as reported by Lis Exon and photojournalist Edwin Wilson. For more information or to contact us, please go to the new and improved www.oeta.tv The verbatim script follows below... THE STATE'S SECOND HOME TO REACH THE GOLD STANDARD FOR LEED CERTIFICATION FROM THE UNITED STATES GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL IS NEARING COMPLETION. THE FIRST SINGLE-FAMILY HOME WITH A GOLD CERTIFICATION WAS FINISHED IN OKLAHOMA CITY LATE LAST YEAR. AS WE CONTINUE OUR ON-GOING GREEN SERIES OF REPORTS, O-E-T-A'S LIS EXON GIVES US A TOUR OF THE TULSA LEED "GOLD" CERTIFIED HOME WHICH WILL SOON BE OPEN FOR PUBLIC TOURS. THIS NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOME SITS IN THE BROOKSIDE AREA OF TULSA NOT TOO FAR FROM DOWNTOWN. FROM THE OUTSIDE IT LOOKS LIKE MANY OF THE TRADITIONAL HOMES IN THIS LONG ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT IT IS ANYTHING BUT TRADTIONAL. This being the first leed gold certified residential home in Tulsa, Oklahoma is a huge accomplishment SEAN GRIFFIN IS THE PRESIDENT OF SUSTAINABLE TULSA, A NON-PROFIT GROUP WHICH PROMOTES RESPONSIBLE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. HE EXPLAINS THAT LEED IN LEED CERTIFICATION STANDS FOR LEADERSHIP ENERGY ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN. HOUSES LIKE THIS ARE JUDGED ON A 100 POINT SYSTEM It has to do with the site itself size of the site the size of the building house how water is used and the materials that are used within the house we have a big open spacious kitchen that opens right into a great room CRAIG IMMEL OF LANDMARK RESOURCES AND WHO IS THE PROJECT MANAGER OF THE CONSTRUCTION GAVE ME A TOUR TO EXPLAIN WHAT MAKES THIS HOUSE SO UNIQUE. BAMBOO FLOORING IS USED BECAUSE IT IS A RAPIDLY RENEWABLE RESOURCE...IT GROWS MUCH FASTER THAN TREES. ALSO RECLAIMED MATERIALS ARE USED HERE. we have a lot of heavy timbers that are actually salvaged from a barn that was going to be burned down in tonkawa beautiful fireplace here but it is actually recycled thank you that is right these bricks had a previous live as street pavers in cleveland ohio ALSO USED ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOME IS STONE A PLENTIFUL NATIVE RESOURCE FROM OKLAHOMA. BACK INSIDE, TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THE KITCHEN COUNTER TOPS. THEY ARE MADE OF RECYCLED BEER AND LIQUOR BOTTLES. IN THE BATHROOM THE SAME MATERIAL IS USED FOR THE HIS AND HER VANITIES. IN HERE THE FLOOR IS A STAMPED CONCRETE WHICH WILL LOOK LIKE WOOD FLOORING WHEN IT'S ALL FINISHED. AND UNDERNEATH THIS FLOOR... ANOTHER FEATURE WHICH MAKES THIS A GOLD CERTIFIED HOME. it has a nice thermal quality in that we have and in floor radiant system under here. So basically we have tubes that run up and down the length of the room and they gradually heat the concrete slab and put of a nice even consistent warm in the winter BUT WHAT IS TRUELY REMARKABLE ABOUT THIS HOME IS WHAT IS UNDER THE DRIVEWAY IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE. the main feature of that is hidden by the driveway because its 325 foot deep wells that cycle water that goes down. basically I guess the best way to describe it is that it takes advantage of the constant temperature of the earth to heat and cool the home BECAUSE OF THE HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM WHICH INCORPORATES SOLAR POWER THROUGH THE PANELS ON THE ROOF AT THE BACK OF THE HOME....THIS HOUSE IS PROJECTED TO BE 60% MORE EFFCIENT THAN A HOUSE BUILT JUST LIKE IT WITHOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL EXTRAS. IN OTHER WORDS, A TYPICAL HOME WOULD USE 5,700 DOLLARS FOR ENERGY COSTS. THIS ONE WILL USE ONLY 2300 DOLLARS A YEAR. its a huge savings over ten years thats worth something like forty thousand dollars at today's electricity rates.. THE HOUSE IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR HOME TOURS FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKENDS. IN TULSA, I'M LIS EXON, THE OKLHOMA NEWS REPORT.

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