美國中大西洋區將首度建有一個符合美國綠色建築協會「能源發展與環境平衡」（Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design）鑑定的大型購物中心。購物中心的地點已經被買下並正在進行下一步發展。
5月馬里蘭州卡羅郡（Carroll County）的郡發展委員會終於核准梅音街爾德堡（Main Street Eldersburg）成為購物中心預定地。那是個廣達8361平方公尺的「生活機能中心」，位於卡羅郡馬里蘭州快速道路32和36的交叉區塊。2000萬美元成本的購物中心2007年夏天會破土開工，而預定在2008年秋季開幕。
該購物中心會裝置太陽能日照系統，使用玻璃板作為室內照明設備。高效率的暖氣、通風和冷氣裝置，還有高科技能源節約模式，會幫助業者達到預期的能源節約。相較於傳統建築技術，他們預期每年節約多達30%能源。
美國綠色建築協會發起人和總裁費德茲（Rick Fedrizzi）表示：「過去幾年，我們都看到了綠色建築在全美國大幅興起。建築業者、開發業者和消費者都愈來愈意識到永續設計帶來的利益。綠色建築提供的是成本的降低、室內環境品質的改善、員工生產力增加及市場價值增高。」
The site has been purchased and development is underway on the first retail shopping center in the Mid-Atlantic region that will be certified to the U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, LEED, standard.
Main Street Eldersburg, a 90,000 square foot "lifestyle center" near the intersection of Maryland Routes 32 and 26 in Carroll County, received final approval from the County Planning Commission in May. Groundbreaking will take place this summer, and the $20 million shopping center is scheduled to open by fall 2008.
The center will have a passive solar daylighting system with glass panels for interior daylighting. A high efficiency heating, ventilating and air conditioning package and advanced energy modeling will contribute to an expected energy savings of 30 percent each year over traditional building technologies.
Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the U.S. Green Building Council, said, "In the past few years, we have seen a monumental increase in the amount of green building nationwide. Builders, developers and consumers alike are becoming aware of the benefits of sustainable design. Green buildings offer decreased operating costs, improved indoor environmental quality, increased employee productivity and increased market value."
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
