USM headquarters receives LEED Silver certification

NORRISTOWN, Pa., – As part of its continuing commitment to sustainability, USM, has recently received LEED Silver CI (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Commercial Interiors) certification for its headquarters facility in Norristown, Pa. The ribbon cutting for the facility was held in October 2011.

A provider of interior and exterior facilities maintenance programs, USM is a subsidiary of EMCOR Group, Inc.
“At USM and across EMCOR, we continue to make great strides in promoting green practices, in our work for clients and within our operations,” stated Ivan Dubow, COO at USM.

“Being awarded LEED Silver certification for USM’s headquarters facility demonstrates commitment toward creating a more sustainable future. Importantly, creating a green headquarters is also indicative of USM’s dedication to the well-being of its employees, who greatly appreciate an open, collaborative work environment that is well lit with natural light and provides maximum comfort through the most advanced building systems available today.”

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) awards LEED certification as recognition of a building’s overall sustainability profile. To receive a LEED Silver CI certification, USM, along with the property manager and various contractors, implemented a sustainability program at USM’s headquarters facility that required a variety of retrofits and high performance building approaches, including:

• Skylights, daylight harvesting (dimming), and solar blinds.

• A green roof that reduces storm water runoff by 50-90 percent and improves the building’s thermal barrier thus reducing heating and cooling costs.
• High efficiency HVAC systems.
• High efficiency lighting and Energy Star appliances.
• A building management system to control and optimize all systems.
• Bike racks and showers (for employees who bike to work).
• Preferred parking spaces for alternative fuel vehicles.
• Reuse and recycling of materials during construction.
• Recycling and green cleaning programs on an ongoing basis.
• Reduced water usage by 32 percent through the use of highly efficient fixtures.
• Low-emitting materials such as adhesives and sealants, paints and coatings, and flooring systems.
• Energy modeling proving that the new building uses 45 percent less energy than it would have with a traditional design.