How to Create a LEED Platinum Certified Office Building
SKF’s (skf.com) North American corporate headquarters building in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, is the culmination of an 18-month, $23-million development project that was undertaken with sustainability in mind during all aspects of the project. This focus helped it become one of only hundreds of buildings nationwide to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s Platinum Level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, the highest level possible.
LEED Certification for All
William McGlocklin, SKF director of environmental affairs, says that after completing its North American headquarters, SKF management in Sweden decided that all subsequent facilities would be built with the intention of being LEED certified. For example, the company recently inaugurated an 85,000-m² roller bearings manu-facturing plant in Tver, Russia. It’s designed so that 90% of the building receives natural sunlight during daytime hours, which reduces electricity costs. It also features controlled ventilation systems in major areas of the facility and vacuum distillation systems to recycle water. SKF says the plant operates 40% more efficiently than similarly sized plants. It’s expecting to receive LEED Gold certification.
Sustainability at SKF
Sustainable practices are nothing new at SKF. In fact, its history of sustainability dates as far back as 1918—only 11 years after the company was founded—when it developed a bearing six times more energy efficient than its competitors. Here are some of the company’s more recent initiatives:
• 2002: Revised its employee code of conduct to include sustainability.
• 2005: Launched the BeyondZero initiative, which stated that in addition to reducing negative envi-
ronmental impact, SKF would continue to work toward increasing its positive environmental impact.
• 2006: Initiated annual sustainability awareness training for all employees.
• 2010: Announced all new SKF buildings will be developed to earn LEED certification.
