Mar 17 2010
U.S. Green Building Council has awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification to Transcontinental Northern California under the new construction category for its new printing plant in Fremont, California. The 338,000-square-foot facility was opened in July 2009. Under a 15-year agreement with Hearst Corporation, Transcontinental will print the San Francisco Chronicle and other associated products.
In North America, Transcontinental Northern California is one among the first printing facilities to be constructed as per LEED standards in the U.S. The construction of the four-storey building, which is highly energy efficient, was supervised by Kwan Henmi Architecture/Planning and McCarthy Building Companies. Some of the factors that assisted the plant to earn its Silver certification include purchase of locally manufactured materials, use of recycled materials, selection of advanced machinery for highly efficiency printing, air quality, thermal comfort and employee safety.
President and Chief Executive Officer of Transcontinental, François Olivier, said it was strategically important for the company to construct a printing facility that is environmentally friendly and meets or even exceeds standards. The certification demonstrates that the company is on the right track and the building is an example to show that it can be achieved, Olivier said.
Latest technologies implemented in the building will help to cut down the energy consumption by about 20%. Other green measures include access to public transportation for employees and preferred parking for carpool and alternative energy vehicles.
Source: www.transcontinental.com