Siemens Energy declared that its new wind turbine nacelle assembly plant opened in Hutchinson, Kansas, has been granted LEED Gold Certification by the US Green Council for its efficient operating systems and eco-responsible design.
The 300,000 sq ft assembly plant is the first ever LEED Gold certified facility in the US. The facility has also become the first LEED Gold certified new industrial/construction site in Kansas State.
The plant designed to manufacture nacelles for the 2.3 MW and 3.0 MW wind turbines produced by the company was opened in December 2010. The nacelle placed at the top of a wind turbine tower holds the necessary components that convert the rotation of the blades in to power. The project was facilitated by Siemens Real Estate and construction was completed by Gray Construction.
The plant was awarded LEED gold certification for its installed sustainable features such as proper building insulation to cut down heat loss in winter and minimal use of air conditioning in summer, non-use of HCFC or CFC refrigerants in the installed AC systems, water conserving and managing installations to save 48% over the specified energy policy enactment, and installation of skylights to provide daylight for 75% of the usage areas. The Sage Glass system reduces the heat gain to cut down the energy intake, which curtails the glare into the building. The construction used low VOC emitting materials in wood finishes, carpet, paints, adhesives and sealants, used recycled locally sourced materials and saved 50% of construction debris from reaching the landfills.
Source: http://www.siemens.com/energy