Intel's First 'Green Building' Receives LEED Gold Certification

 

Intel Corporation obtained its first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification which is an internationally recognized stamp of approval from the U.S. Green Building Council following the Intel Design Center 9 (IDC 9), set to open in Haifa, Israel in June this year. IDC 9 is the first building in Israel to receive this level of recognition for sustainable construction and a is one of the highest level LEED certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

IDC 9 stands on land which was previously occupied by a parking lot in a bid not damage any natural resources. The sustainable design and construction features:

• An Intel® Xeon® processor-based data center that significantly reduces power consumption, with expected annual savings of $200,000.
• An automatic control system that regulates the flow of natural light, exposing more than 75 percent of the most populated areas of the building to sunlight.
• A rooftop garden to enhance thermal insulation and prevent the building from retaining excessive heat.
• An automatic system for measuring carbon dioxide levels in the office space for improved air quality.
• A method for capturing and recycling condensate water from the air conditioning system for irrigation.
• Heating the building with dissipated heat from the air conditioners and data center computers.
• Additional state of the art energy efficiency fixtures, including individually controlled lighting and air conditioning systems.

It is expected that the sustainable design of IDC 9 will result in a net 17 percent reduction in total building energy use as compared with "ordinary" buildings built, according to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1-2007 standard.

"Intel is committed to incorporating principles of sustainability into the construction of new facilities as well as making strategic improvements to our existing locations so that they may meet the highest standards," said Brian Krzanich, senior vice president and general manager of Manufacturing and Supply Chain for Intel. "By assigning equal priorities to economic, social and environmental goals, IDC 9 has managed to provide Intel with economic advantages while reducing environmental impact."

It is in this vein that The Express Giant wishes to congratulates Intel Corporation in its tireless approach to saving the environment through sustainable design and and construction of  environment-friendly structures and we urge all other companies to follow the example led by Intel Corporation.

Source: www.intel.com