PLYMOUTH, Mich., July 14, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Siemens Industry, Inc., is committed to sustainability and environmental responsibility across every aspect of its business. Validating the company's overall commitment to sustainability and the environment, Siemens Building Technologies Division recently achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) Certification for its Plymouth, Mich., Branch facility.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7735
The first to achieve LEED recognition in the Siemens Building Technologies Division facility portfolio, the U.S Green Buildings Counsel (USGBC) certification highlights progress in programs and policies initiated by the company's Sustainability Committee and outlined in its first report published in 2009.
Siemens is committed to practicing in its own business operations the energy efficiency and green building sustainability practices that it delivers to customers. Plymouth's LEED certification is an important milestone in the company's efforts to follow a more sustainable path when it comes to its operations. In 2007, several leases for Siemens Industry Business Units in the Detroit area ended prompting a move to consolidate operations. This offered a clean slate to build out the location sustainably and pursue the LEED-CI certification for the facility when it was done. All the work required to win the certification was performed by the branch's resident staff, in collaboration with purchasing, Siemens Real Estate, the building's owner and Biddison Architecture + Design.
Siemens local team, including Sr. management, embraced the project—not only as a means to improve the energy and cost efficiency of the facility—but to make a fully-realized effort to tread more lightly on the local environment, use less resources and contribute to the local economy by sourcing building materials and interior appointments from regional businesses.
As a result, enough LEED-CI rating points to assure certification were generated in four major categories: Energy & Atmosphere, Material and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation in Design Process. In practice, the certification means a more productive, comfortable, accessible, and energy-efficient working environment for the 150 employees working at the facility. The effort also highlights Siemens attention to detail when creating sustainable, energy and resource-efficient workspaces—a demonstration of the skills and abilities they use to deliver LEED certification to customers in the region.
"Everyone in Plymouth should be proud of their accomplishment," said Brad Haeberle, chairman of the Sustainability Committee at Siemens. "The certification highlights how global issues can be resolved locally, making the communities we live and work in better for all." Siemens Building Technologies is serious about sustainability and is willing to underwrite specific employee initiatives to help support the company's local and community-based sustainability goals. In this case, a grant from Siemens executive management helped offset expenses related to energy and resource efficiency goals at the Plymouth facility.
At 37,000 sq. ft, the Plymouth facility houses regional Business Units representing Building Technologies offerings in building automation and energy efficiency, security and fire/life safety. Siemens engineers and facility designers worked to build out the space promoting the concepts of renew, re-use and recycle and create a healthy, energy efficient working environment that supports sustainable behavior by its occupants.
For example, Siemens APOGEE Building Automation System was installed to optimize the operation and control of building systems including HVAC equipment and lighting. Combined with other LEED measures, the result was a reduction of 25% in annual energy use and a 25% reduction in solid waste delivered to the landfill.
Attention to detail assures LEED points. Over 15% of construction and furniture materials and products consist of recycled content, and more than 48% of construction and furniture materials and products were manufactured within 500 miles of Siemens Plymouth office. All paint and coatings, adhesives and sealants, carpet and other interior elements all meet volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions standards. Sensors are deployed that monitor both indoor and outdoor CO2 levels to help carefully manage air-handling demand changes in response to occupants.
About Siemens
Siemens Industry, Inc. (SII) is the U.S. affiliate of Siemens' global Industry Sector business—the world's leading supplier of production, transportation and building technology solutions. The company's integrated hardware and software technologies enable comprehensive industry-specific solutions for industrial and infrastructure providers to increase their productivity, sustainability and profitability. The Industry Sector includes six divisions: Building Technologies, Industry Automation, Industry Solutions, Mobility, Drive Technologies and OSRAM SYLVANIA. With nearly 222,000 Siemens Industry Sector employees worldwide, the Industry Sector posted a worldwide profit of $2.7 billion on revenues of $47.7 billion in fiscal 2009. www.usa.siemens.com/Industry
A division of Siemens Industry, Inc. (SII), Building Technologies (BT) Division is a leading provider of energy and environmental solutions, building controls, electrical distribution equipment, fire safety and security systems solutions. BT's solutions enable America's buildings to be more comfortable, secure and environmentally friendly as well as less costly to operate. With a U.S. headquarters in Buffalo Grove, Ill., BT employs 7,400 people and provides a full range of services and solutions from more than 100 locations coast-to-coast. Worldwide, the company has 28,000 employees and operates from more than 500 locations in 51 countries. The Building Technologies Division posted worldwide revenues of $8.1 billion in fiscal 2009.
