Buildings
Adobe Grabs LEED-EB Platinum
(archrecord.construction.com - 07/21/2006)
By John
Gendall
The USGBC awarded the Adobe headquarters
building in San Jose, California, with a LEED platinum certification.
Announced on July 3, the award represents the first commercial
office building to be given the highest distinction in LEED’s
Existing Building program.
The designation culminates a five-year,
$1.1 million campaign to maximize the sustainability and energy
efficiency of the building, which opened in 1996. The process
entailed 45 projects, including upgrading building control
systems, retrofitting lighting, and adding motion sensors.
Electricity consumption has been reduced by 35 percent; irrigation
water use has decreased by 75 percent.
Randy Knox, the software company’s
director of real estate, facilities and security, explains
that “Adobe has learned that making significant strides
in energy conservation doesn’t necessarily require undertaking
major products, or major investments.”
LEED-EB was launched in October 2004
after a 100-building pilot program. While LEED’s New
Construction and Commercial Interiors cover major renovations,
the Existing Buildings program certifies buildings that continue
to be used through construction.
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