Coates Design Architects has achieved the first LEED Platinum certification in the state for a home designed outside of Seattle.

The platinum designation is the highest of the four possible LEED certifications, which measure how effectively green building elements are implemented.

Coates Design’s platinum home, designed for Ed and JoAnne Ellis of Bainbridge, employs energy efficient aspects such as geothermal heating, vegetated roofs and solar uses, according to a press release.

To commemorate the LEED Platinum Certification and raise awareness about sustainable living and green building, a special event is planned for Tuesday, July 27 at Town Hall Seattle. The event, titled “Leading the Way Toward a Sustainable Future,” features environmental activist and actor Ed Begley, Jr., as the keynote speaker. Begley hosts his own television series about sustainable living, called “Living with Ed.” Tickets for the event are available now at http://www.CoatesDesign.com.

Matthew Coates, founder and principal of Coates Design, moved to Bainbridge 12 years ago after completing his master’s degree in design architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Michigan-born islander has worked on buildings ranging from the Moscow International Airport, to the Bill and Linda Gates Foundation Headquarters.

Coates is recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council as a LEED accredited professional. In 2005, Coates won the Cradle-to-Cradle Home Competition, an international design competition that attracted over 700 entrants from 42 different countries.

In six years of operation, Coates Design has become a major player in the Bainbridge architecture scene. The firm is involved in the Island Gateway project, designing both the Kids Discovery Museum and the new Bainbridge Art Museum. The firm is also a part of the Grow Community, a 138-unit residential development that is going through the city design review process at the moment.

– Nat Levy