Bayer Corporation invests $17 million at U.S. headquarters

Bayer Corporation will invest $17 million in a “Workspace of the Future” renovation project at its U.S. headquarters in Pittsburgh. The project focuses on two buildings which house the largest number of employees, approximately 825 of the 1,500 employees at the suburban Robinson Township campus. Completion is expected by June 2013. 

The new working environment will integrate and showcase Bayer MaterialScience products in the design. For example, Bayer invented polycarbonate, a synthetic thermoplastic resin used in a wide range of products. Bayer MaterialScience’s Makrolon MAK clear polycarbonate will be used at the workstations, allowing natural light to filter throughout the workplace. LED (light-emitting diode) light fixture lenses will be made of the polycarbonate material, as will lobby architectural panels displaying the Bayer logo.

Another Bayer MaterialScience product, Technogel, will be incorporated into employee and guest seating throughout the buildings. The polyurethane “liquid solid” substance is designed to provide greater ergonomic comfort.

Additional energy-efficient design features include: Energy Star-rated heating and cooling systems, low-flow plumbing to reduce water usage by 20 to 40 percent and GThurm windows, a line of energy-efficient windows, recently launched by Graham Architectural Products. The windows feature Graham glass-reinforced polyurethane technology, which employs a polyurethane resin supplied by Bayer MaterialScience LLC. In addition to stability and durability, the windows offer thermal insulation and environmental friendliness.

Bayer is pursuing LEED-CI (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – Commercial Interior) gold-level certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for the project.