The US Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded Sartorius Stedim Biotech a LEED Platinum certificate for its new facility in Yauco, Puerto Rico.
The international equipment supplier for the pharmaceutical industry says it is the only company worldwide to have a LEED Platinum-certified manufacturing facility for the biopharmaceutical industry. LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.
Sartorius invested US$20m in the new production building, which was officially opened last year, after taking around 12 months to build. Covering an area of 5,000m2, the new eco-friendly building complex provides space for two new cleanrooms for filter and bag manufacture, labs and offices.
Ecological aspects played a role in the project from the outset, with special attention being paid to conserving water and energy resources. The new building complex in Yauco saves approximately 85% of water consumed in comparison with conventional facilities. It uses harvested rainwater and air-handling unit condensate for cooling cleanrooms and supplying grey water to facilities, as well as for irrigation purposes. The building’s climate control technology, special building materials, and perforated metal fins and diaphanous screen walls that reduce sunlight contribute to energy savings. In addition, Sartorius Stedim Biotech covers approximately 10% of its energy needs for the new building with a photovoltaic system, which is installed on the factory roof.
‘We are very proud to have received this prestigious rating for our new facility in Yauco from the USGBC organisation. It acknowledges the green building measures that Sartorius has taken to ensure protection of the environment. Our innovative building sets new standards and proves that careful planning enables ecological and economical concerns to be reconciled,’ said Volker Niebel, member of the Executive Committee of Sartorius Stedim Biotech.
Sartorius has had a production facility in Yauco since 1982, where around 240 people work. The new facility is one of the three major building projects undertaken over the past year to expand manufacturing infrastructure and to support the further growth of the Sartorius Group.
