March 11, 2009—Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company’s Global Innovation Center (GIC) in Chicago has received LEED Gold certification by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), marking a significant achievement in the company’s commitment to global sustainability.
When the GIC opened in 2005, it already met many of the LEED requirements. Specifically, the GIC featured:
- An open, healthy work environment, with a glass tension-cabled ceiling (unique in North America) for natural lighting, and a Winter Garden that features 25 different plant species from four continents;
- A massive recycling program in which building waste is recycled and reused;
- A “green roof” that helps control heating and air-conditioning costs and is home to plants that absorb and use rainwater, reducing storm water runoff into the sewer system;
- Flexible office space and laboratories designed with collaboration in mind, allowing areas to be reconfigured with little or no additional construction; and
- A program that encourages employees to take alternative and public transportation, including showers and locker rooms for bike riders.
Additionally, working closely with its building manager, Transwestern, the GIC recently introduced several initiatives critical to the goals of a LEED-certified building. The building employs “green cleaning,” which includes all-natural cleaning products without harsh chemicals; additional lighting occupancy sensors; automated temperature sensors that improve energy efficiency and control costs; and an irrigation system that uses sensors to keep the grounds watered without wasting resources, among other improvements.
Through the range of environmentally sound practices at the GIC, the company has reduced its water usage by 40 percent annually over the last two years and reduced its energy use by 10 percent over the past year.
