Congresswoman Kaptur joined the Lutheran Homes Society in celebrating its receipt of LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. She was joined by Executive Director Harry Blackmon and President and CEO David Roberts.

The Lutheran Homes Society, which serves elderly and young people throughout northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, recently used energy-saving principles to renovate facilities.

“Congratulations to the Lutheran Homes Society, which has performed such healing service in our communities, on this bold new endeavor,” said Congresswoman Kaptur. “Your compassion has been wed with a commitment to innovation that will act as a leadership beacon throughout our region.”

The society moved an 1860s era barn from the farm of the old Lutheran orphanage and transformed it into a cafeteria. The building uses a closed-loop electrical heat pump system, extra insulation in the roofs and walls, low-flow water fixtures, skylights, and a decentralized heating system that permits room-by-room temperature control.

The LEED Certification program stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. First introduced in 1998, it has come to be recognized as the standard measure of sustainability in buildings.

The Lutheran Homes Society, founded prior to the Civil War, offers residential alternatives such as assisted living for seniors and group homes for young people, serving almost 1,800 residents daily.