Feb 25 2010
MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) announced today that four of its offices have been awarded Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED EB) certifications from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
The company’s Bridgewater, N.J., Oriskany, N.Y. and Somerset, N.J. sites earned Gold certifications, while the Aurora, Ill. office earned a Silver certification as part of the USGBC’s Portfolio Program and volume certification process.
The USGBC’s LEED EB program aims to encourage the implementation of sustainable practices in commercial buildings, creating healthier and more productive workspaces. The USGBC’s Portfolio Program is a pilot that enables the integration of such standards and operations into several buildings within a company’s portfolio simultaneously, using a cost effective and streamlined process called volume certification.
“MetLife is committed to supporting a sustainable tomorrow and reducing its energy dependence,” said John Vazquez, vice president, vendor sourcing and corporate services & chief procurement officer. “Over the past four years, we have reduced our energy consumption by more than 15%. This latest recognition by the USGBC validates the extensive work we’ve done to help create an energy efficient and socially responsible organization.”
To earn LEED EB certifications, the buildings’ operations, maintenance practices and procedures were reviewed to ensure energy efficiency and sustainability based on the USGBC’s high performance green building standards. Each location’s water efficiency, indoor air quality, lighting, material use and site management were all taken into consideration when pursuing the certification.
MetLife worked closely with property manager Cushman & Wakefield to achieve the certifications. These recent recognitions bring the total of MetLife owned and/or operated LEED certified properties to six, in addition to the company’s 11 ENERGY STAR-rated facilities.
Source: http://www.metlife.com/