Pearson Honors Environmentally Friendly Utah Facility
In line with Pearson’s commitment to environmentally sound practices, the education services and technology company today commemorated its Sandy, Utah, facility for its LEED-Certified (Commercial Interiors) status, established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. LEED — The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
The LEED certification is a first for Pearson, achieved through environmentally friendly construction and development practices. The facility was designed with high-efficiency lighting and controls to reduce energy usage, mostly recycled furniture and construction materials, finishes fabricated from sustainable sources, plumbing that conserves water, and materials and configuration that maximize natural lighting and maintain optimal air flow throughout the building.
Day-to-day activities in the facility are eco-friendly as well. Employees utilize re-usable materials in the kitchen and drink from a water filtration system to reduce bottled water waste, while daily maintenance is performed with environmentally sound cleaning products.
Steve Curtis, president of Pearson’s Data Solutions Group that shares the facility with the Pearson Learning Technologies group, said, «When it came time to move to a new facility to accommodate our growing team, we were pleased to be given the opportunity to upgrade to state-of-the-art green facility. The abundance of natural light, views, and air quality present in this facility enhance employee comfort while being environmentally responsible.»
Upon moving to this new facility, Pearson also worked with the Revive program at Green Solutions North America to help repurpose unneeded office furniture from the old facility, directing it towards local charities, schools, and non-profit organizations as its first priority. All materials and products that could not be re-used were taken apart and recycled, with the barest minimum going to landfill.
«Working closely with our core design team and end-users, Pearson earned its first LEED certification, a great achievement for the company,» said Anthony Musto, Pearson’s Vice President, Project Management. «Not only is the new facility environmentally sound, but its design enhances the daily workspace experience for our employees. We expect to continue to work to attain LEED status and eco-friendly new facilities while upgrading existing locations to higher energy efficiencies.»
Musto managed the project in collaboration with Donae Viertel, Facility Director, Pearson. Dorothy Zarnik, Principal, The Aztec Corporation, oversaw the implementation of the specifications and design.
