Waterville - A childcare facility in Waterville is being recognized nationally for their energy efficient facility.

Educare in Waterville is the first daycare in Maine to become LEEDS certified. LEEDS is a rating system designed by the U.S. Green Building Council to encourage the development of more energy efficient buildings.

Some of the energy efficient features at Educare include low flow water fixtures on all 29 sinks and toilets as well as a hot water control system that keeps the water no hotter than 75-degrees no matter how long it runs.

The building also has several rooms with large windows allowing natural sunlight inside. Sam Hath, the head of maintenance at Educare, says that sunlight provides indirect solar energy which helps heat the building. "We have a playroom and a multipurpose room with the same glass and the same benefits as far as indirect solar," Hath says. "On a cloudy day you can really feel the difference versus the sunny day when it comes to the indirect solar."

There's also 8 parking spaces reserved for hybrid or energy efficient vehicles. Educare opened it's doors last September.

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