U.S. Green Building Council Certifies 20,000th LEED Commercial Project

Jan. 14, 2014
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' plant in Knoxville, Tenn., was certified under the LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system.

With the certification of the offices and staff-services space in the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (GMCR) plant in Knoxville, Tenn., under the LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system in December, the U.S. Green Building Council issued the 20,000th LEED certification for a commercial project.

The Knoxville plant is Waterbury, Vt.-based GMCR’s seventh LEED-certified facility. Sustainable features include a high-efficiency HVAC system and water-efficient plumbing fixtures that have resulted in a 32-percent reduction in water use. Recycled content totals more than 24 percent of all building materials, work stations, and seating, while a quarter of all building materials was harvested or manufactured within 500 miles of the project. The project also features high-efficiency lighting fixtures, daylighting, and lighting controls, while renewable power sources generate more than 50 percent of the required power.