The nonprofit Saint Francis Center in Redwood City, a refuge for the homeless and a recipient of funding from The Almanac's annual Holiday Fund, can now claim green bona fides.

The new 10,400-square-foot, three-story, Spanish-style building, called La Casa and designed by Ratcliff Architecture out of Emeryville, received a silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a statement from the nonprofit.

The building contains a recycling station, signs identifying sustainable features, a swale for rainwater runoff, a water-conscious garden, and smart mechanical systems. Of its materials, 35 percent were manufactured in the region, the statement said.

The building is multipurpose. The first floor includes laundry and shower facilities for the homeless as well as storage of clothing and food donations; the second includes schools for K-5 and adults; and on the third are three low-income apartments.

For the school, there are green-oriented lesson plans to "help students discover and nurture an environmental ethic and stewardship for natural resources," the statement said.

Silver is the third highest rating available from USGBC's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, program.

"There is a temptation for nonprofits with capital projects to avoid the LEED rating system because it can be complex and expensive," said Executive Director Sr. Christina Heltsley. "If a small social services organization like (ours) can do it, any nonprofit can. If nonprofits don't lead the way for the environment, who will?"

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