A new building going up in Pueblo may be the model for all future construction projects in southern Colorado. The Maple Leaf Professional Building is being built in the Park West Business Center on Spaulding Avenue. It will be built as a ‘Green’ building.

Everything in the new building from the ground up is intended to be energy efficient, environmentally friendly and healthier for employees. Solar panels on the roof will provide enough electricity to operate the building and then some. On weekends and holidays the building will go into sleep mode, essentially shutting down and then selling electricity back to the power company.

Heating and cooling will be done using geothermal methods. Thirty different 300-foot holes will be dug underneath the foundation allowing the earth’s natural heat to warm the building. No electricity will needed for heating or cooling and there will be no natural gas flowing into the building at all.

All building materials will be made of recycled materials and the lumber will come from tree farms instead of forests. Inside there will be no chemicals in the carpet, paint or wood stains, making for cleaner air for employees.

Even the parking lot isn’t wasted space. The porous paving will allow water to flow back underground and be distributed to the trees and plants on the property.