USGBC Awards Carrier LEED Gold Certification for New Manufacturing Facility in Monterrey

Featuring innovative water efficiencies and optimized energy performance, Carrier's newest manufacturing facility has achieved LEED^® Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), making the factory its sixth LEED-certified building and the 17th for United Technologies. Carrier, the world's leader in high-technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions, is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp.

Located in Monterrey, Mexico, the 390,000 square-foot Carrier Mexico SA de CV facility includes six assembly lines, which manufacture commercial rooftop units. In addition to utilizing a chilled water plant and cooling equipment produced at two other Carrier LEED-certified factories, the following features contributed to the facility's certification:

• Carrier reduced its on-site potable water consumption by 96 percent, the projected equivalent of more than 1.2 million gallons conserved each year. In addition to low-flow fixtures, the factory recycles condensate water for use in toilets and uses 100 percent recycled water for landscaping.
• Through rigorous planning and a concerted use of recyclable materials, the company was able to recycle or divert from landfills 89 percent of its excess construction materials.
• The facility promotes the use of public transportation through a company-provided bus service, which transports employees between the factory and nearby public bus stops serving eight routes.
• In addition to ensuring that 100 percent of applicable materials met LEED low-emission standards, the factory earned exemplary performance for its design, which allows 97 percent of the building's regularly occupied areas to receive LEED-recommended levels of daylight.
• The factory's commitment to sustainability carries over to its ongoing operation. Carrier has implemented a green cleaning policy, which reduces the use of chemicals in the building, and also works to ensure its landscape management respects the environment.
• Finally, in addition to completing LEED's enhanced commissioning process, the project also completed "envelope" commissioning. Expanded to include the verification of exterior wall resilience, the process ensures the building functions as designed.

"We often say 'green products must start at a green company' and I can't think of a better way to illustrate that commitment than through the sustainable design of a facility that manufactures environmentally responsible products," said John Mandyck, chief sustainability officer, UTC Building & Industrial Systems. "Our customers should take great pride in the fact that the products they purchase are more than innovative and efficient, they're truly environmentally sustainable starting with their manufacture."

"Achieving green buildings for all within a generation will only be made possible with the help of great leaders in the building industry like Carrier," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "Carrier has a strong history of sustainability and has been a leader in growing and improving the LEED rating system. We congratulate them for achieving yet another certification that enhances the health of our planet and the people who will use the building every day."​

NORESCO's Sustainability Services group, through Architectural Energy Corporation, provided LEED project management throughout the design, construction and commissioning phases, while also offering energy and daylight modeling. NORESCO is one of the largest energy services companies in the U.S. and a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems.

Since 2008, Carrier has applied the USGBC's LEED rating system in the design of all new properties. The new facility is Carrier's second to earn LEED Gold in Monterrey; the company also has LEED-certified factories in Charlotte, N.C. and Huntington, Ind. Carrier's Shanghai offices were awarded LEED Silver in 2010 and Carrier's Beijing offices were awarded LEED Gold in 2009.

For more information, visit NaturalLeader.com/LEED or follow Carrier on Twitter: @CarrierGreen.