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Salt Lake City, UT - Mark Miller Auto Group is building a green Toyota and Scion dealership that will be among the first Toyota dealerships in the nation to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified. The new six-acre dealership, located at 730 South West Temple, is the first and only LEED certified dealership in Utah.
"More and more car buyers are moving toward hybrid vehicles, which shows we as consumers are becoming increasingly aware of our impact on our environment," said Mark Miller, president of Mark Miller Auto Group. "Toyota is leading the way with hybrid vehicles, and if we are devoted to ensuring an environmentally responsible product, we need to be sure all elements of our operations meet that same high standard."
The Mark Miller LEED certified dealership, which saves 25 percent more energy than a typical building, includes many eco-friendly and state-of-the-art features, including:
- High performance, high efficiency heating and cooling system
- Innovative skylight system to optimize natural daylight to lower interior light use - natural daylight provided to 75 percent of regularly occupied spaces.
- Low-flow faucets and toilets as well as waterless urinals to conserve water
- Cool roof system to lower the overall heat that comes off large buildings
- Landscaping that will self sustain and require a minimal amount of water
- Cistern system to collect rainwater, which will be used to wash the cars
- Exterior cladding and interior finish made entirely from recycled materials
- Preferential parking to carpool and fuel efficient vehicles
- Use of environmentally friendly interior paint and cleaning supplies
Beyond the features, the building itself - previously another car dealership - is an example of reusability. Miller purchased the building in 2007 and has worked with the existing structure in an effort to reduce waste from complete demolition. Those elements of the building that were removed were all recycled.
The new dealership has an estimated price tag of $25 million, a substantial amount of which is devoted to ensuring an environmentally friendly building. The new Mark Miller Toyota/Scion opened its doors in July, with a grand opening planned for this fall.
About Mark Miller
Mark Miller Auto Group launched in 1975 with a facility that sold Pontiac and Subaru vehicles. Since then, it has grown to include Buick, Toyota and Scion. Mark Miller is the leading seller of hybrid vehicles in the region, and a 12-time recipient of Toyota's prestigious President's Award - presented to Toyota dealers who display excellent customer satisfaction. Mark Miller dealerships employ approximately 215 individuals in five dealerships throughout Utah.
About LEED Certification
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED Certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project is environmentally responsible, profitable and a healthy place to live and work.
