NSF Intl. has announced that it has received the Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification for its recent laboratory expansion.
The LEED Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED provides building operators and owners with the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. Some of these practices include sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
As part of NSF's ongoing commitment to protect the environment, NSF adopted the LEED Green Building Rating System in the expansion of its Michigan-based corporate headquarters and laboratories in Ann Arbor, Mich. To achieve silver LEED status, NSF demonstrated that the design of its new building is saving 26% of energy costs when compared to traditional buildings.
“Our goal when we started our laboratory expansion was to create and sustain an environmentally friendly site that reflects our organization’s mission—to improve and protect public health and the environment,” said Kevan P. Lawlor, president and chief executive officer. “Consistent with this goal to build a high-performance, green facility, we employed advanced water recycling and treatment methods, energy-efficient systems, low-emitting materials and minimized the changes to our natural landscape during construction.”
NSF’s sustainable efforts include:
• Up to 50% of NSF’s drinking water treatment systems lab test water is now recycled and reused;
• Using green power (wind, solar and hydroelectric sources) for 50% of the energy sources used to power the facility;
• Using 12% post-consumer recycled material in the building, including recycled carpeting;
• Using compact florescent lighting, which uses at least two-thirds less energy than standard incandescent bulbs to provide the same amount of light, throughout the building;
• Water-efficient landscaping reduces landscaping water needs by 50%. This includes planting native drought-tolerant grasses and plants to protect building and parking lot runoff;
• Using locally manufactured resources and obtaining almost 85% of all building materials locally; and
• Providing 21 acres of open space, 217% more than the minimum code requirements.
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