800,000 SF Distribution Center Wins LEED Gold

An 800,000-square-foot distribution facility developed by industrial real estate giant ProLogis near Chicago has won LEED-CI (Commercial Interior) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. According to ProLogis and the building’s tenant, Kraft Food, the structure is the largest LEED-CI Gold in the world. The distribution center, located in Morris, Ill., southwest of Chicago, was completed in the first half of 2007. More recently, ProLogis and Kraft together completed the improvements necessary to win the gold certification. Among other sustainable design features, the building includes fluorescent lighting with multi-level lighting controls, which results in a 60 percent reduction in lighting energy usage, and a HVAC system that reduces power consumption by 40 percent. During the construction phase of the building, extensive use was made of recycled and locally sourced materials, with nearly 100 percent of construction debris diverted to recycling centers rather than landfills. Also, about 80 percent of the wood used in the structure came from Forest Stewardship Council certified forests, and the building’s interior paints, coatings, adhesives and sealants have with low volatile organic compounds emission levels. The building is the first distribution center occupied by Kraft to win LEED Gold certification. As for ProLogis, nine more of its U.S. warehouses, representing 8.3 million square feet, have been submitted for certification review.