Global Dow Center Earns LEED Silver Certification

The Dow Chemical Company’s state-of-the-art Global Dow Center headquarters in Midland, MI has obtained Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.

Global Dow Center
Global Dow Center, Midland, MI. (Photo: KIRCO/KIRCO MANIX)

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED is the most widely used green certification program for building design, construction, operations, and maintenance in the world. LEED is based on prerequisites and credits that a project meets to achieve a certification level.

“While we were originally tasked with just LEED certification, we are extremely proud that the Global Dow Center headquarters has achieved Silver status and we were able to do so while remaining on budget and schedule,” said Quinn Kiriluk, executive vice president, corporate real estate & chief marketing officer for KIRCO. “With goals of increasing energy efficiency, reducing water use and ensuring a healthy and productive indoor environment, this certification further confirms Dow’s commitment to the environment, sustainability and its employees.”

Brian Richard, executive vice president at Kirksey Architecture, continued: “It’s hard enough to design and build a great building at this scale with the various competing requirements. To be able to go beyond our original target and achieve LEED Silver certification is a testament to Dow’s commitment to sustainability and the developer / design team’s ability to provide outstanding design, service and innovative thinking.”

Demolition of Dow’s former Willard H. Dow 2020 building began in June 2015, which made way for the October 2015 groundbreaking of the 184,390-square-foot Global Dow Center.

Sustainability was at the forefront of the project with green construction and demolition practices employed throughout. For example, 21,000 square feet of vegetative rooftop and a nearly one-acre decorative pond wrap one-third of the building, helping to dramatically reduce heat islands and storm water runoff.

Other highlights from the facility’s LEED Silver certification include:

  • Sustainable Sites: Located on an environmentally preferable site, the company encourages alternative means of transportation by reserving preferred parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles;
  • Water Efficiency: Low-flow plumbing fixtures were used throughout the project, including low-flow faucets, urinals and toilets. Overall, the building is estimated to reduce indoor potable water use by 33 percent;
  • Energy & Atmosphere: The project utilized efficient lighting systems, such as LED and fluorescent fixtures throughout and is anticipated to reduce energy consumption by 30 percent. All HVAC and fire-suppression systems operate without Chlorofluorocarbons, Hydrochloroflourocarbons or Halon-based refrigerants, preventing the release of ozone-depleting substances;
  • Materials & Resources: 89 percent of construction waste for the project was recycled, salvaged, or reused. Preference was given to local materials and those with high recycled content in order to reduce the impact associated with the extraction and processing of virgin materials;
  • Indoor Environmental Quality: Construction followed stringent guidelines to minimize the introduction of harmful air contaminants into the space, including the use of low-emitting paints, adhesives, sealants, and flooring; and
  • Innovation Design: A green building education program provided information on the sustainable aspects of the project. In addition, the project utilized environmentally friendly cleaning and maintenance products.

Want to learn more about LEED and facility management?

Check out more news about LEED, green buildings, and facility management.