Sony Electronics Headquarters Awarded New Construction LEED(R) Certification

SAN DIEGO, April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today the U.S. Green Building Council Institute announced the newest U.S. facility to earn the prestigious LEED® Gold certification – the Sony Electronics (SEL) headquarters building in San Diego. The LEED certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

"When we began laying out initial plans for our headquarters, we knew we wanted 'green' to play a major role in its construction," said Ed Cotter, Executive Vice President, Sony Electronics. "As a major consumer electronics company, we take sustainability very seriously and seek out efforts to reduce our environmental footprint wherever possible."

The building's design integrated a number of green elements in accordance with the Green Building Council's LEED requirements, including 80 bicycle racks, 140 spaces reserved for vehicles opting to carpool, and 76 set aside for fuel-efficient vehicles, to promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

"Climate change remains a big environmental problem throughout the globe," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "But innovative companies like Sony Electronics are helping address the issue through local solutions such as building sustainable facilities."

SEL maneuvered more than 92 percent of the building's construction debris away from local landfills. In addition, open space accounts for 29 percent of the lot, with vegetation making up 52 percent – more than double the requirement.

Building materials, local resources

Nearly 15 percent of the buildings' materials are local, garnered from within 500 miles of the site's location in the Rancho Bernardo community. A minimum of 75 percent of the wood used in the framing, flooring and furniture is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council – a non-profit organization that promotes the responsible management of the world's forests – and 47 percent of the building materials have been manufactured using recycled materials.

Water efficiency

The building's use of low-flow water fixtures ensures rates of water usage up to 47 percent lower than current codes, in conjunction with the use of condensate water from air-conditioning units. The building also captures 90 percent of storm water runoff onsite.

Energy and atmosphere

SEL designed its headquarters to maximize energy performance by 22.6 percent with the installation of lighting sensors throughout the building in addition to variable speed drives for A/C units.

Solar panels are installed on the building's parking garage to collect energy for the local utility company, a feature that offsets nearly five percent of the total energy cost. The buildings' designers also optimized the use of natural lighting in its construction – 75 percent of the facility's total square footage receives natural sunlight.

Additionally, Sony purchases renewable energy credits – equivalent to 70 percent of total annual energy costs – to ensure its headquarters remains a carbon neutral site.

About Sony Electronics

Headquartered in San Diego, Sony Electronics is a leading provider of audio/video electronics and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Operations include research and development, design, engineering, manufacturing, sales, marketing, distribution and customer service.

The latest news and information is available at the company's web site at www.sony.com/news.

U.S. Green Building Council

The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.

With a community comprising 78 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 140,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.

Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 35,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 4.5 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 91 countries.

By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation.

For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

SOURCE Sony Electronics