Gaetano Green

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certified Projects

We have already completed or are in the process of completing several LEED certified or LEED Initiative projects:

Cayuga Medical Center - Southwest Addition - Ithaca, NY

A Silver LEED certification - (Complete)

Marcy Correctional Mental Health Unit - Marcy NY

A Silver LEED Certification - (Awaiting final certification)

SUNY Morrisville - Renovation of Cayuga Hall

A project with LEED Initiatives (Completed)

Old Forge Center for the Arts - Old Forge, NY

A Sliver LEED Certification (project under construction presently)

We have one Project Manager who has completed LEED Accredited Professional training and is working on completing his test for the certificate as a LEED AP.

We are a member of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Mission Statement

At Charles A. Gaetano Construction Corporation, as advocates for the environment, we are committed to being a sustainable organization by initiating, implementing and promoting environmental practices through sustainable design and construction so we may protect the needs of our environment both in the present and for the future. As part of this movement Gaetano Construction continues to maintain an active role in the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED program.

As part of the Gaetano Green initiative we have implemented steps to:

• Form an in-house Green Team consisting of members of both the office and field staff to assist in the implementation of Green Initiatives.
• Reduce waste in all of our office and field operations through recycling practices.
• Reuse and recycle materials when applicable.
• Implement energy efficient policies and practices in all of our operations.
• Use sustainable and environmentally friendly products in our operations.
• Educate and train our employees, subcontractors, vendors and clients in sustainable practices, providing them with practical tools and methods.
• Promote our sustainable practices through various media outlets.
• Enroll existing Project Managers in LEED educational and training programs geared toward professional accreditation as a LEED Green Associate, LEED AP and ultimately a LEED AP+.

In order for the implementation of these steps to be successful, it has taken a cooperative effort on behalf of all of our employees to focus their initial efforts on becoming a more environmentally conscious organization by:

• Encouraging the use of recyclable containers strategically placed around the offices and job sites for paper, cans and bottles and other recyclable materials.
• Implementing the use of ceramic coffee mugs in lieu of Styrofoam cups.
• Purchasing or renting materials and equipment from local suppliers and vendors when feasible, to minimize shipping distance and pollution.
• Creating and implementing a Construction Waste Management Plan and an Indoor Air Quality Plan (IAQ) both of which have become mandatory on all of our construction projects.

Gaetano Construction is committed to the success and ongoing implementation of sustainable construction practices. As part of this movement, as we move forward, we intend to educate new vendors and clients on the theory and practice of green building, emphasizing the LEED Green Building rating system. We believe Green buildings are not only good for the environment, they also provide immediate and long-term economic and environmental benefits for developers, building owners and occupants.

Operating Green

In our continuing effort to operate in an environmentally conscious manner we have instituted many "Green Initiatives"

• Mandatory recycling of job site waste
• Smoke free job-sites (where applicable)
• Office recycling
• Air monitoring

Smoking Policy

The Charles A. Gaetano Construction Corporation has an obligation to enforce the existing New York State Clean Indoor Air Act on our job sites and to enforce our Customer's Smoking Policies on our employees and our subcontractors' employees.

The Clean Air Act applies to job sites once the roof structure is on the building and in all office and storage trailers, as well as lunch and break areas. Certain campuses may have more stringent requirements that must be followed.

New job site signs indicating the policy have been provided for the building entrances and job trailers.