USGBC recognizes foodservice equipment manufacturer's headquarters for its sustainability efforts.

The United States Green Building Council has conferred LEED certification on the Winston-Salem, N.C. headquarters of Beverage-Air. LEED certification of Beverage-Air was based on a number of green design and construction features, including energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies.

These features include:

• Beverage-Air's overall energy use was reduced by 22 percent.
• The building features a white membrane roof, which reflects sunlight and reduces the building's heat gain.
• The use of low-flow and energy-saving fixtures results in a 35 percent reduction in water use.
• All paints, adhesives, flooring and laminated particle board had low or no traces of volatile organic compounds, improving indoor air quality.
• More than 22 percent of the construction materials were made of recycled content and 58 percent of the construction materials were located within 500 miles of the project site.
• Beverage-Air provides preferred parking for low-emitting and fuel efficient vehicles.
• Sixty-one percent of the site's landscaping features naturally existing, native and adapted plants.

Beverage-Air moved into the building in June 2010 but the LEED certification process just finished. This facility provides traditional corporate headquarters functions such as customer service, technical service, warranty, finance, administration, research and development, engineering and sales.