Astellas Pharma US Inc. announced that its new headquarters for the Americas, located at the northwest corner of I-294 and Willow Road in Northbrook, Ill., has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
"It is an extremely proud day for Astellas in achieving LEED Gold certification at our new headquarters for the Americas, which we've worked toward since we broke ground in 2010. This honor further demonstrates our commitment to the environment, the local community, and as an employer of choice to our employees," said Collette Taylor, Senior Vice President - Human Resources & Corporate Administration of Astellas and headquarters project manager. "With energy costs and carbon emissions on the rise, we're thrilled that we invested in green building at our new facility in Northbrook, Ill. "
The Northbrook complex obtained LEED Gold certification for its environmentally-conscious construction, including:
- Hybrid geothermal field, which uses the earth as a heat source in the winter or heat sink in the summer, to reduce energy costs more than 20 percent;
- Use of more than 77 percent of wood from managed forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council;
- Use of 35 percent recycled materials, use of 45 percent locally-manufactured materials, and the recycling of more than 85 percent of waste during construction;
- Improved indoor air quality with building flush-out using outdoor air to remove the majority of pollutant emissions;
- Use of high-efficiency heat and air conditioning equipment and plumbing fixtures to reduce water consumption;
- More than 70 percent of the facility's parking under cover to reduce heat island; and
- Landscape irrigation from retained stormwater.
Astellas partnered with MB Real Estate to manage the development of the buildings and site with GlenStar Properties LLC. MB Real Estate contracted the services of HJKessler Associates, a green building and LEED consultant, and worked closely with the USGBC and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure proper implementation of sustainable building design and practices. The new headquarters was designed by Goettsch Partners (architect of record) and SmithGroupJJR (interior architect), and was built by Power Construction.
Opened in June 2012, the complex accommodates more than 1,000 employees, with ample space to build a future third building to accommodate the company 's projected growth. The complex includes two six-story buildings totaling 425,000 sf and cost approximately $150 million to build. +
Related Stories
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction market benefits from improving economy, new technology [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Following years of fairly lackluster demand for commercial property remodeling, reconstruction revenue is improving, according to the 2014 Giants 300 report.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Construction Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Structure Tone, Turner, and Gilbane top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction contractor and construction management firms in the U.S.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Engineering Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, URS, and Wiss, Janney, Elstner top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Stantec, HDR, and HOK top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.
| Jul 23, 2014
Tallest skyscraper in South Korea now open
The Northeast Asia Trade Tower stands at 308 meters and is the focal point of the Songdo International Business District, a new 310-hectare city built on reclaimed land.
| Jul 23, 2014
Architecture Billings Index up nearly a point in June
AIA reported the June ABI score was 53.5, up from a mark of 52.6 in May.
| Jul 22, 2014
L.A.'s tallest tower to get observation deck
U.S. Bank Tower, as part of a series of improvements, will be getting an observation deck and restaurant at its top.
| Jul 21, 2014
Economists ponder uneven recovery, weigh benefits of big infrastructure [2014 Giants 300 Report]
According to expert forecasters, multifamily projects, the Panama Canal expansion, and the petroleum industry’s “shale gale” could be saving graces for commercial AEC firms seeking growth opportunities in an economy that’s provided its share of recent disappointments.
| Jul 21, 2014
Workplace trends survey reveals generational patterns in office use
Data analysis from Mancini•Duffy indicates significant variations among age cohorts in the workplace.
| Jul 20, 2014
Why every major U.S. city should be nurturing ‘Innovation Hubs’
Today, more than ever, tech districts are the key to economic growth for metro markets. A new report from the Brookings Institution calls tech hubs the superchargers of innovation economies and creators of highly coveted tech jobs.
