PepsiCo's Chicago Plaza Earns Energy Star Certification

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energystarlogo2By implementing several energy-efficient initiatives and upgrades, PepsiCo's Chicago downtown corporate plaza has earned Energy Star certification. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) also recently awarded the company the 2009 Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award.

The 17-story Chicago Plaza, built in 2002,  is certified by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Existing Building Silver Certification.

PepsiCo earned the Energy Star certification by improving the building's energy efficiency performance through several initiatives with the help of its employee "Green Team." The company installed motion sensors in all conference rooms and offices to automatically shut lights off when they are unoccupied, replaced components of the HVAC system with more energy-efficient equipment, and installed solar and wind power generating equipment on the Sustainability Center's roof top to help offset the energy consumption of the facility.

To drive energy efficiency efforts by employees, Pepsico created an employee-driven campaign to educate all building occupants on what they can do to reduce their own energy use, and launched an energy-efficiency competition between floors. The company also regulated the temperature throughout the year to reduce heating and cooling loads.

Other LEED-certified PepsiCo buildings include the Tolleson, Wytheville, and Pryor Gatorade facilities, the PepsiCo Chicago Sustainability Center, and the Frito-Lay Rochester Distribution Center.

Environment + Energy Leader