When built in 1987, E & E's headquarters facility was one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in the world. The two-story, 64,200-square-foot building sits on a 100-acre nature preserve, and is designated as an Energy Star-labeled office building. The facility was sited, designed, and
constructed to serve as an efficient, effective work center while achieving low environmental impact on surrounding areas through the application of sustainability planning, innovative architectural design, adaptive management methods, and specialized operating systems.
E & E successfully integrates physical structures and a productive working environment—while striking ecological balance with the surrounding landscape. The resulting enhanced natural systems and ecological value of the facility benefit both the employees and the proximate environment.
In 2008, this design philosophy garnered the building Platinum-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED-EB) certification for existing buildings by the U.S. Green Building Council. E & E's facility is the tenth in the United States, the first in New York, and the oldest existing building in the world to be awarded this highly sought-after designation.
The LEED Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction, and operation of sustainable buildings. It provides independent, third-party verification that a facility meets the highest standards in green building performance. In the case of E & E's HQ building, the innovative design that earned such a designation underscores the firm's role as a leader in corporate sustainable philosophies and practices.
The innovation of sustainable design elements used throughout the facility is particularly notable because they were incorporated into the building's construction before sustainable building design became commonplace—and prior to the establishment of the LEED Green Building Rating System™. When E & E applied for certification, the company and building were already very green, incorporating practices such as:
- Recycling, composting, and other methods of waste reduction;
- Sustainable building features such as an atrium skylight and window designs to provide summer cooling while reducing heat loading;
- A host of energy and water conservation measures;
- Designation of surrounding land acreage as a wildlife refuge and nature conservation area;
- An employee incentive program for transportation-reduction; and
- A variety of other employee-based programs to elicit environmental awareness and behavioral change.
Due to the pioneering original building design, existing operational procedures, and corporate philosophy and culture of its employees, E & E did not need to significantly modify the building's structural or operational features to qualify for LEED-EB Platinum certification. The facility incorporates a practical approach for improving energy efficiency while creating a highly productive working environment that strikes ecological balance with the adjoining landscape; thus, serving as a model for future office building designs.
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