To: BUSINESS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- SSOE Group
(www.ssoe.com), an international engineering, procurement, and
construction management (EPCM) firm, along with Vertegy, announce
their involvement in the success of first and only LEED@ Platinum
automotive manufacturing plant in the world. Volkswagen's Chattanooga
manufacturing plant was recently awarded a Platinum certification, the
highest designation possible from the U.S. Green Building Council's
(USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green
building certification program.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100917/SSOELOGO )
SSOE has successfully performed design work for more than 50% of all
automotive assembly plants built in the United States over the last 10
years. Based on that experience, Volkswagen called upon SSOE to
oversee the architecture, engineering, and construction management for
this $1 billion+ production facility which produces the all-new 2012
Passat. Once it was determined to pursue LEED, SSOE performed the role
of Project Team Administrator (PTA) and Design Lead for all LEED
credits with Vertegy provided commissioning and third-party
verification.
"Think Blue is Volkswagen's commitment to reach the highest level of
environmental protection and corporate social responsibility in
everything we do. It was this commitment that drove the team to strive
toward designing, constructing, and applying for LEED accreditation.
Being the first automotive plant worldwide to receive a Platinum
certification is an enormous accomplishment and wouldn't have been
possible without the innovative design and construction management of
SSOE. Their LEED knowledge and expertise supported us in moving
forward with the certification process and achieving the Platinum
certification successfully," said Dr. Jan Spies, Head of Factory
Planning, Volkswagen AG.
The Volkswagen manufacturing plant earned 52 points out of the 69
possible to earn the Platinum title in October. Sustainable highlights
of the plant include:
-- Certification of the paint shop facility. Previous assembly plants
have excluded their paint shop in the LEED certification process due
to the complexity of the manufacturing process and the challenge of
getting them certified. VW's sustainably designed paint shop will save
more than 50 million gallons of water a year.
-- The construction team salvaged or recycled nearly 78 percent (4,602
tons) of construction and demolition waste.
-- 48 percent of total building materials were manufactured using
recycled materials.
-- Through low-flow water closets and urinals, the plant achieves a 58
percent reduction in potable water used for sewage conveyance.
Additionally, the plant harvests rainwater from its roof that is
collected for use in the sanitary waste system. Together, these
strategies save 1.7 million gallons of potable water each year.
Low-flow showers, lavatory and kitchen faucets further decrease
potable water usage, resulting in total savings of more than 3 million
gallons of potable water each year.
-- A white, reflective roofing material was installed on 100 percent
of the roof area of the building, which reflects heat, lowering
cooling costs and saving energy.
-- All exterior lights at the facility provide only the minimum
lighting required for safety to ensure that light does not spill into
the night sky, adversely affecting the surrounding nocturnal
environments through excessive glare.
-- Measures to promote environmentally friendly commutes include the
provision of bike racks for visitors and employees, availability of
showers and lockers for employee use and preferred parking for those
driving low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles and for those who
carpool to the site.
The Volkswagen Academy was also certified by USGBC as a LEED Platinum
facility earning 54 points of out 69 possible and received this
designation in November. The Volkswagen Academy is used to train new
employees for work at the plant.
In addition to the Volkswagen Chattanooga manufacturing plant, SSOE is
also responsible for the first Gold LEED certified facility in the
state of Ohio and first Gold LEED certified central utility plant in
the U.S. Currently, SSOE has more than a dozen projects underway at
various stages of the LEED certification process around the world and
was ranked first nationally among green industrial and manufacturing
design firms by ENR magazine.
About Volkswagen Chattanooga
Volkswagen will invest $1 billion in the local economy for the
Chattanooga plant and create more than 2,000 direct jobs in the
region. According to independent studies, the new Volkswagen plant is
expected to generate $12 billion in income growth and an additional
9,500 jobs related to the project. The Chattanooga manufacturing
facility builds the all-new 2012 Passat sedan, specially designed for
the North American market and winner of the Motor Trend magazine 2012
Car of the Year award.
About SSOE Group
As the 14th largest engineering, architectural, and construction
management firm (Building Design + Construction), one of Inc.
magazine's fastest growing firms (2011), and one of the "Best AEC
Firms to Work For" (Building Design + Construction), SSOE Group
focuses on delivering Great Client Service to clients through a full
range of EPCM services.
With 24 offices around the world, SSOE is known for making its clients
successful by saving them time, trouble, and money. Over the company's
60-plus year history, it has earned a reputation for providing quality
project solutions to food and consumer products, chemical, government,
power, automotive, glass, healthcare, and science and technology
industries. SSOE has completed projects in more than 30 countries.
Visit www.ssoe.com for additional information and career
opportunities.
Media Contact Jenni Roder SSOE Group 419.255.3830 x1362 419.351.6480
cell jroder@ssoe.com
SOURCE SSOE Group
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