With rooftop solar, energy efficient lighting and water conservation in place, National Grid has achieved LEED Platinum designation for its corporate office in Waltham, Mass.
The 312,000 square foot building, which was completed in May of 2009, earned LEED Platinum for Core and Shell Construction, as well as Commercial Interiors, according to a press release.
During construction, more than 93 percent of construction waste was recycled.
The roof has about 20,000 square feet of solar power panels (736 photovoltaic cells) that generate enough electricity to power about 30 homes each year and offset 400,000 lbs. of CO2 annually.
The building's optimized lighting requires 40 percent less electricity than a code-compliant building in Massachussets and has occupancy sensors, task oriented lighting and daylight sensors at workstations saving more than 800,000 kwh per year.
The building cuts water use by approximately 2.4 million gallons per year through use of dual-flush toilets; automatic sensor faucets and a recycled storm water system.
The building has exterior shading devices on southern facing exposure and a highly reflective white roof.
National Grid made headlines in 2009 when it revealed it would be basing executive’s compensation, in part, on their performance against targets for reducing carbon emissions.
In other green building news, California recently approved the most stringent, environmentally-friendly building code in the United States that will apply to new commercial buildings, hospitals, schools, shopping malls and homes.
The code, dubbed CAL Green, requires builders to install plumbing that cuts indoor water use, divert 50 percent of construction waste from landfills to recycling, use low-pollutant materials, and install separate water meters for different uses in nonresidential buildings.