HID Global® announced at a ceremony and celebration event that its world headquarters and North American operations center in Austin has been LEED® Platinum certified and, according to the company, is the only industrial manufacturing facility in the state of Texas awarded this distinction. The USGBC LEED is a rating system for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. 

HID Global’s facility achieved platinum certification under LEED for commercial interiors. According to the USGBC, only 6 percent of the total LEED certified projects have attained a LEED Platinum certification. The distinction is reserved for building projects that earn the highest levels of green building elements in the LEED certification program, which implements practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. HID Global parent ASSA ABLOY is also a Platinum-level member of the USGBC.

“HID Global’s LEED Platinum certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The urgency of USGBC’s mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and HID Global, with its Platinum level certification, serves as a prime example of just how much we can accomplish.” 

Project features that helped HID Global achieve its Platinum rating:

·         Site selection in close proximity to community services and public transportation, in a desired development zone that reduces transportation impacts and facilitates walkable access to services for occupants

·         Water-efficient landscaping, enabling a more than 71 percent reduction in potable water used to irrigate landscape

·         Indoor water use reduction, which delivers 35 percent reduction in indoor potable water use

·         Optimized lighting performance from LED fixture selection, which results in over 46 percent reduction in lighting power for the entire building

·         Optimized energy performance of equipment and appliances, including exclusive selection of Energy Star qualified office equipment and appliances which results in a minimum of 30 percent lower electricity usage

·         Controllable lighting systems that reduce lighting energy consumption and air conditioning requirements, including the use of daylight controls for all regularly occupied spaces within 15 feet of windows, and occupancy sensors for more than 90 percent of the connected lighting load

·         Thermal comfort verification that minimizes energy use associated with building air conditioning while maintaining thermal comfort conditions that enhance occupant well-being

·         Improved indoor air quality through selection of low-emitting materials, which improves occupant health and productivity while reducing expenses and liability for building owners, operators and insurance companies

·         Construction waste management to reduce demand for virgin resources and minimize environmental impacts associated with resource extraction, processing and transportation

·         Selection of sustainable materials to further reduce virgin materials use and solid waste volumes, while also minimizing transportation activities and associated pollution

As part of a key ASSA ABLOY initiative, HID Global’s sustainability program also includes developing its first Environmental Product Declarations for the company’s readers. Similar to a food nutrition label, an EPD is a verified document that communicates a product’s environmental impact, from design to usage.

HID Global’s world headquarters and North American operations center was also recently honored by the Austin Business Journal in its 15th annual Commercial Real Estate Awards competition, which recognizes best practices in building and development, and showcases projects and transactions during the year that had the biggest impact on the community, residents and the industry. Honored in the industrial development category of the awards competition, HID Global’s facility was formally opened in January and, when fully operational in 2015, will be the company’s largest facility in the region.