The Green Building Certification Institute has awarded its highested certification - LEED Platinum - to the University of Washington's Russell T. Joy Building. Hermanson Company worked with John Korsmo Construction, THA Architecture, and Glumac International to provide full mechanical construction for this renovation and re-use of the 1892 historic structure as general classroom space for the University's Tacoma Branch Campus.

Among the features of the Joy Building that earned it he high rating is a system that captures 90% of the rainwater falling on the building and reuses it in planters. Other sustainable features include:

• 43.6% water reduction during building operations;
• 49.7% reduction in energy usage
• 95.1% of the construction waste recycled
• 22.7% recycled content in building materials.