Jun 20 2013
JMC Steel Group, the largest independent pipe and tube manufacturer in North America, has announced it has been awarded LEED® Silver certification for its headquarters on the 26th floor of 227 West Monroe in downtown Chicago. With its LEED certification, JMC Steel Group is leading fellow Chicago offices in the Green Office Challenge, a friendly competition held by the city of Chicago and Green PSF. JMC currently ranks 23 of 114 participating buildings and tenants.
"We decided to participate in the Green Office Challenge after attending a meeting hosted by our building management, Tishman Speyer," said Jelani Rucker, director of marketing and sales for JMC Steel Group. "We have been interested in being green since moving into our new headquarters, and after earning our LEED Silver certification, we were excited to participate in this challenge."
JMC began participating in the Green Office Challenge in April 2013 after the company achieved LEED Silver certification in November 2012. The LEED rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.
"Strategic design decisions made by the project team involving energy consumption, indoor air quality, materials and resources enabled JMC's headquarters to achieve LEED for Commercial Interiors Silver certification," said Paige Adams, NCIDQ, LEED AP at Gensler, the firm behind JMC Steel Group's green office transformation. "Workstations, offices and other furniture were selected because of their high recycled content, and wood veneer was sourced from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. These green elements were seamlessly incorporated into the dynamic design of JMC's headquarters, providing staff and guests with a healthy and sustainable work environment."
JMC has earned 1,170 points thus far in the Green Office Challenge, acquired by completing tasks such as implementing a recycling program, engaging in social media sharing, retrofitting lighting, cataloging plumbing fixes and more. Each of the completed Green Office Challenge tasks earns points for tenants and buildings. The more points earned, the more a competitor outranks its peers. The challenge is designed to make Chicago more sustainable and reduce its environmental footprint by encouraging local tenants to go green — both in their individual office spaces and within the entire structure.
"We are proud to be a LEED Silver certified office and to be tenants of a building that encourages sustainability," said Rucker. "Taking part in this Green Office Challenge is just another way to show our commitment to being green."
To track JMC Steel Group's progress in the Green Office Challenge, or to sign up to participate in the challenge, visit chicagogoc.greenpsf.com/pages/challenge. To learn more about LEED certification, visit usgbc.org
Source: http://www.jmcsteelgroup.com/