HID Global Celebrates Prestigious LEED Platinum Certification for its New World Headquarters
HID Global, a manufacturer of secure identity solutions, announced at a ceremony and celebration event that its 
World Headquarters and North American Operations Center in Austin, Texas has been LEED Platinum certified, and is the only industrial manufacturing facility in the state of Texas awarded this distinction. The USGBC LEED rating system is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.
“LEED Platinum certification for our World Headquarters further elevates our award-winning facility as a leading Austin sustainability showcase and a Texas business success story,” said Kevin Teehan, senior director of strategic operations and corporate sustainability with HID Global.“This achievement signifies our ‘Green by Design’ philosophy and continuing focus on sustainability excellence. For our customers, this translates into innovative, secure products and solutions that help minimize environmental impact while reducing operating costs. We share this accomplishment with all of the many people and organizations who worked with us to make this possible.”
HID Global’s facility achieved Platinum certification under LEED for Commercial Interiors. According to the USGBC, only 6% 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’s parent, ASSA ABLOY, is also a Platinum-level member of the USGBC, signifying its strong commitment to the sustainable building movement.
“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 include:
- 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.
“An achievement like this only happens with a strong team, guided by a solid plan,” said Jason Bohrer, vice president and general manager for HID Global’s North American Operations Center. “It also signifies the scope of our sustainability commitment, both to the communities where we operate and to a broader global mission. Our commitment continues to expand and grow as sustainability best practices integrate into more and more of our daily business.”
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 is the first global access control manufacturer to offer an EPD for an access control reader, reinforcing its position as a responsible and innovative leader.
HID Global partners responsible for managing the development and construction of its award-winning headquarters facility included Harvey Cleary Builders, a commercial general contractor headquartered in Houston, and Austin commercial real estate developer Live Oak-Gottesman. The facility’s design was managed by Austin-based Studio 8 Architects, along with engineering consulting and design service partners Bury, Endeavor Real Estate Group LLC and Carrillo Dean Landscape Architecture (CDLA). Other key contributors included Boston Industrial Consulting, as well as Lee Gros, Architect and Artisan, and the Austin Chamber of Commerce, which supported HID Global in meeting key construction milestones.
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.