Supplement company NOW has been awarded LEED Silver certification for its new manufacturing facility, located next door to its flagship plant in Bloomingdale, Illinois.
 
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a green building rating system which was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is used internationally. Its criteria involves extensive documentation on water and energy use, lighting, air quality, recycling, sustainable sourcing of materials, and incorporating LEED certified equipment and training.
 
The 90,000 square foot building doubles the capacity of the flagship plant, and the new building is the second to achieve LEED Silver certification after its Sparks, Nevada plant was certified in 2012.
 
“The work of innovative building projects like NOW Health Group’s is a fundamental driving force in transforming the way our buildings are built, designed, and operated,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO, USGBC. “Buildings  that achieve LEED certification are lowering carbon emissions, reducing operating costs, and conserving resources while prioritizing sustainable practices and human health. With NOW’s help, we are increasing the number of green buildings and getting closer to USGBC’s goal to outpace conventional buildings, while being environmentally and socially responsible and improving quality of life for generations to come.”
 
All of NOW’s facilities have been updated in order to improve environmental impact, through projects such as installing energy-efficient lighting, solar panels, water conservation measures, and electric car charging stations.
 
“Environmental awareness has been part of NOW’s business operations since Elwood Richard founded the company 55 years ago,” said Jim Emme, CEO of NOW Health Group. “Seeking LEED certification not only confirms our environmental commitment, but the resulting report serves as an internal benchmark for continued improvement going forward.”