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
Office Buildings | Jan 6, 2016
4 tips for creating flow in a multi-level workspace
Successful workplaces enable a clear progression of ideas and people, which can be challenging for workplaces that occupy multiple levels. Perkins+Will's Sarah Stanford found some strategies that have proven successful.
Office Buildings | Dec 23, 2015
Good design alone won’t eradicate mindless meetings
Gensler's Johnathan Sandler discusses efficient alternatives to dull, wasteful workplace meetings.
Office Buildings | Dec 17, 2015
John Buck Company to develop CNA’s Chicago headquarters
The 35-story building will have plenty of column-free space.
Office Buildings | Dec 9, 2015
HOK collaborates with IFMA on new workplace strategy research report
Report cites work-life balance as the top reason for implementing “distributed work” strategies.
Greenbuild Report | Dec 8, 2015
Is ‘green’ still a selling point in the office sector?
Some developers are missing an opportunity by downplaying sustainability at a time when demand for such features is palpable among lessee firms who are trying to attract younger workers.
Energy Efficiency | Nov 16, 2015
Amazon will heat its new Seattle campus with waste heat from next-door data centers
Up to 4 million kilowatt-hours of energy will be saved each year.
Office Buildings | Nov 6, 2015
Real Madrid to get new headquarters designed by Rafael de La-Hoz
The design of the building is made of a set of two parallelepiped-shaped volumes.
Office Buildings | Nov 3, 2015
Emotional intelligence and design
In a world in which technology and its skills are constantly changing, good people skills are becoming more important, writes VOA's Angie Lee.
Office Buildings | Oct 19, 2015
10 ways to work better
Each office workplace requires a different blend of people, processes, tools, and spaces to support its employees. HDR's Allison Arnone has tips that can guide you toward the perfect balance for your company.
Office Buildings | Oct 16, 2015
#Thank you for sharing: How social media is reshaping the workplace
The rapid growth of mobile technologies threatens to push the desktop PC into extinction. When this happens, the most pertinent question for workplace designers will be what is the purpose of the desk, writes Gensler’s Philip Tidd.