Celerion awarded prestigious LEED® Green Building Certification
Celerion Awarded Prestigious LEED® Green Building Certification
Celerion is the first research clinic in the U.S. to be awarded LEED® Silver certification.
(Lincoln, NE; May 26, 2011) – Celerion, a premier provider of innovative early stage drug development solutions, announced today that it has been awarded LEED® Silver established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
Celerion is the leading provider of comprehensive early stage clinical research and bioanalytical services to the drug development community. The facility in Phoenix, Arizona is a state-of-the-art 300 bed, 104,947sf, early clinical research facility and is the Center of Excellence for early cardiac studies. Celerion was the first CRO to launch the Hybrid Phase I/ECG Core lab, which was developed in Phoenix, and launched to our global network of clinics.
Celerion achieved certification under the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operation & Maintenance rating system for energy use, lighting, water and material use, as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies to make it the first research clinic of its type in the country to attain such an honor. By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.
“We are very pleased to receive this certification,” said Susan Thornton, President and CEO of Celerion. “The upgrades made to our state-of-the-art facility in the Phoenix metropolitan area serve as an example of Celerion’s commitment to creating a healthy work environment, reducing our environment footprint and delivering more efficiency for clients. We applaud the leadership and hard work of our project team and the willingness of third party vendors to volunteer their time to achieving these important goals.” A primary focus for the team was to aggressively pursue no/low cost alternatives to successfully meet the certification requirements.
“Celerion’s LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The urgency of USGBC’s mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and Celerion serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish.” LEED certification of Celerion was based on a number of green sustainable practices, and design & construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. Some of these practices and features include:
- Metering faucets, and ultra-low flow shower heads and aerators that contributed to a 25% reduction in water use
- Collection of 73% of the precipitation falling on the entire site and grounds to reuse for irrigation or evapotranspirates
- Water efficient landscaping by using a micro-irrigation system and native, adaptive plants
- 39% participation in the Alternative Transportation/Trip Reduction Program to offset conventional automobile commuting
- 80% reuse and recycling of consumable waste and 100% reuse, recycling of durable goods
- Building systems perform 20% better than the national average for optimizing energy efficiency
Celerion
Celerion is the premier provider of innovative early stage clinical research solutions. Formed through the acquisition of the early stage development operations of MDS Pharma Services, Celerion has a full spectrum of resources to meet the needs of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and generic industries for Phase 0 through IIa proof-of-concept studies. From facilities strategically located around the world, advanced scientific and technological expertise is applied to clinical research (Phases 0, I and IIa, NDA-enabling clinical pharmacology, ADME), clinical pharmacology sciences, bioanalytical services (discovery through late stage), and drug development services. For more information, visit www.celerion.com.
The U.S. Green Building Council
The Washington, D.C. based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.
With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 155,000 LEED professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.
Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.
LEED
THE U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 32,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 9.5 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.