Astellas' New Headquarters for the Americas Earns LEED Gold Certification

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. +