NSF International was awarded LEED Gold certification for its new lab and office space at its headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building program rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the preeminent program for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of high-performance green buildings.

“We are very proud to receive this designation,” said Seth Epstein, senior manager for Corporate Sustainability. “Achieving LEED certification is one of the ways NSF International demonstrates its commitment to corporate sustainability and helping other organizations do the same. Pursuit of LEED certification is in perfect alignment with NSF’s own mission to protect and improve human health and the environment.”

Completed in July 2017, the 30,000 square foot state-of-the-art lab and office expansion was NSF International’s second LEED certification project. The first project, completed in December 2007, achieved Silver certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions to improve energy performance to emphasize human health.

Some of the features that helped NSF International earn its certification include:

• Low-flow water fixtures, decreasing water use by 42 percent;
• Bicycle storage and changing rooms, encouraging alternative transportation;
• Incorporation of ENERGY STAR rated equipment, making up 91 percent of the building’s energy use for electronics and appliances;
• Use of recycled materials, which made up 27 percent of all materials purchased for construction;
• Use of locally-sourced material, with 60% percent of all materials sourced within a 500-mile radius;
• Increased ventilation, improving fresh air intake to the building by 30 percent;
• LED lighting and occupancy sensors, reducing connected lighting power by 32 percent

“LEED is a transformative tool that ensures a building is designed and operating to achieve high performance in key areas of human and environmental health while enhancing the triple bottom line - people, planet and profit,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, President and CEO, USGBC. “By prioritizing sustainability, NSF International is leading the way in its industry and helping USGBC continue toward our vision of a sustainably built environment within a generation.”