Chattanooga’s Crash Pad is World’s First LEED Platinum Hostel

<a href="http://www.crashpadchattanooga.com/">The Crash Pad</a>, a 4,300 square-foot hostel in the small town of Chattanooga, Tennessee, has become the World’s first <a href="http://inhabitat.com/index.php?s=LEED+Platinum">LEED Platinum</a> Hostel. Set in a city of 170,000 people, this green gem not only welcomes travelers with sustainable digs, but it is a destination for outdoor enthusiasts hungry to explore the Appalachian Mountains, which lie just outside The Crash Pad’s walls.

The building’s structure, constructed by Collier Construction, uses reclaimed wood and bricks from existing structures on the site, a precast insulated concrete wall system, and a green roof.

“Being a green business doesn’t mean just building a green building”, says co-owner Dan Rose in The Crash Pad’s original short film, <em><a href="http://vimeo.com/47414011">Building Our Future</a>, </em>“it comes down to our operations”.

And these operations also help to educate and encourage travelers as they stay and interact with the building. A green guide educates visitors through plaques throughout the building.

The Crash Pad hostel is also a member of the 1% for the Planet Program, which encourages local businesses to give 1% of their sales to environmental organizations around the world.

The lighting in the bedrooms include LEDs. LEDs, a solar panel array, low-flow fixtures, and a greywater filtration system also help to create an energy efficient building with less water consumption.

The Crash Pad also feature many local artisans throughout their hostel from the art in the building to the beds and furniture, which were handcrafted by Haskel Sears Design.

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