The Siemens Building Technologies Division’s Beltsville, Md. branch office was recently awarded LEED® for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (EB: OM) certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
The facility, with 375 employees serving the greater Washington, D.C. area, serves as the regional headquarters for Siemens Building Automation, Energy Efficiency and Fire Safety and Security Business Units. It is also a showcase for Siemens building control technologies which supported the achievement. For example, Siemens’ APOGEE® Building Automation System was employed to control set points for efficiency as well as provide report data to support LEED point’s acquisition.
The Beltsville facility, which also earned the ENERGY STAR Label for superior energy performance, implemented a range of energy efficiency, water conservation and sustainable operations measures as part of the certification process. As a result, the building is 27 percent more energy efficient than similar buildings, uses 21 percent less water, and produces nearly 600 fewer metric tons of CO2 emissions. The facility is not only more efficient with lower utility expenses, it also meets the rigorous operations and maintenance requirements of LEED—which means that over the life of the facility it will be less costly to operate.
“We recognize the importance of leading by example and demonstrating our commitment to the environment,” said Dan Crowley, regional zone manager. “As a responsible business leader in our region, not only are we extremely proud to have earned LEED certification, but we are also proud of the hard work and dedication of our employees to make this effort a reality.”
To support certification, the local staff implemented a range of improvements, including installation of a domestic solar hot water heating system, replacement of 44 fluorescent fixtures with LED down-lighting and the installation of solar tubes to bring more natural light into the interior and reduce overall lighting loads. In addition, the facility team implemented sustainable operations practices including sustainable purchasing policies, integrated IAQ management plans and green cleaning.
Local staff also worked closely with green consulting firm RTKL to ensure that all of the documentation met LEED requirements. “Because of the active involvement of our local team from the start, we were engaged in all aspects of the process,” said Kevin Kelley, Siemens project manager who oversaw the process. “Not only will this help us maintain the facility to green standards, but it will also provide us with valuable experience that we can apply to help guide our customers through their own energy efficiency and sustainability efforts.”
With LEED certification, the Beltsville office joins the Building Technologies Division’s Plymouth, Mich. office, which achieved LEED for Commercial Interiors certification in 2011.
