Adobe Gets U.S., California Honors For Power Usage

Adobe Systems Incorporated announced the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification for Adobe's West Tower headquarters building in downtown San Jose. The Adobe tower is the world's first commercial office building to earn this highest recognition possible for energy and environmental design excellence under the USGBC's permanent LEED Existing Building (LEED-EB) standard.

"Adobe is serious about environmental stewardship. Throughout Adobe facilities worldwide, we strive to use groundbreaking, environmentally friendly design, construction and conservation methods. It's the right thing to do and it makes good business sense," said Bruce Chizen, CEO at Adobe. "We're extremely proud to receive the LEED-EB Platinum certification - it's a significant honor and a validation of our efforts to create a healthier workplace for our employees, preserve resources and reduce energy costs."

The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. The rating system was designed by leading experts in the construction industry to promote buildings that are economically profitable, environmentally friendly and healthy, productive places to work. Adobe's Platinum certification was based on ratings in five categories: sustainability; water efficiency; energy efficiency and atmospheric quality; use of materials and resources; indoor environmental quality; and innovations in upgrades, operations and maintenance.

"As the first project to earn LEED platinum since we completed the existing buildings pilot program, Adobe is truly an inspiration and model for other companies seeking to introduce sustainable, environmentally-friendly practices into their facilities," said Rick Fedrizzi, President and CEO of USGBC. "It's our honor to congratulate them on this wonderful achievement."

Working with facilities management firm Cushman & Wakefield, Adobe has invested $1.1 million since 2001 for an energy and environmental retrofit of the three towers that comprise its San Jose headquarters campus. Over the five-year period, Adobe has reduced electricity use by 35 percent, natural gas use by 41 percent, domestic water use by 22 percent, and irrigation water use by 75 percent. Adobe now recycles or composts up to 85 percent of its solid waste. Through energy savings projects and the purchase of green power, Adobe has reduced its pollutants emissions by 26 percent.

Adobe undertook a total of 45 specific projects to achieve platinum certification of the West Tower, which opened in 1996; these have netted a 114 percent return on investment and payback, in some cases, in as few as nine months. Included in the projects were: retrofitting lighting; adding motion sensors; installing variable speed frequency drives on large fans and chillers; adding real-time metering; upgrading building control systems; re-commissioning of major systems throughout the facilities; and participating in peak period power shedding programs.