Dallas, TX – January 13, 2015 – The Freeman Company, the leading global partner for integrated marketing solutions for live engagements, today announced that the U.S. Green Building Council has awarded LEED® Silver Certification in the Building Design and Construction rating system for New Construction to the Freeman Chicago Facility. Freeman is the first general contractor in the event industry to achieve this status for new construction using sustainable design and construction methods.
In order to achieve LEED Silver, a building must go above and beyond. Freeman has been recognized for its innovation by using 20 percent less mercury in their lamps, having 33.99 percent of the building’s material content manufactured using recycled materials, and ensuring 95 percent of the building’s wood is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified. Additionally, the project aimed to utilize its’ local resources. Freeman’s building documented that 41.54 percent of its building materials originate from within a 500 mile radius of the project site.
“One of the pillars of Freeman’s operational excellence is the culture of sustainability that is a part of our everyday operations,” said Jeff Chase, vice president, sustainability, Freeman. “We are dedicated to constantly improving our recycling efforts to ensure that our daily operations are as environmentally sustainable as possible.”
“As a family and employee-owned company, sustainability is very important to us. Our teams work hard to be good stewards of the environment and the communities in which we live and work,” said Joe Popolo, chief executive officer, Freeman. “The decision to invest in making our new Chicago home LEED certified was another step towards being environmentally responsible by reducing our energy use and eliminating as much waste as possible.”
With state-of-the-art heating and air conditioning units and fans, all working in unison with the mechanical aspects of a warehouse and office environment, thinking green has driven the facility to reduce energy use overall. Through awareness and system sensors as well as the insulation properties of the facility as a part of the planned build, the Freeman Chicago facility allows for efficient use of energy. This is in effect in every aspect of the operation from motion-activated lighting throughout the facility conserving electricity; natural gas heating; reduced fixture water use; to dust collection and filtering and reduced waste generated by those systems.
LEED certification of the building was based on a number of green design and construction features designed to save money and resources and have a positive impact on the health of the occupants and the surrounding community. In order to become a LEED certified building, the building’s impact is measured using a criterion that includes: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy & atmosphere, materials & resources, indoor environment quality, innovation, and regional priority credits.
The LEED certification requires buildings, and it’s designers to become smarter and more innovative. In fact, LEED projects are responsible for diverting over 80 million tons of waste from landfills.1 In order to become a LEED Certified Building; the following minimum requirements must be met:
- Develop an erosion and sedimentation control plan
- Consume 20 percent less water than the average building
- Participate in a commissioning plan that projects the energy cost savings will be 29 percent
- Do not use chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) in the HVAC system.
- Create a thorough recycling program
Visit the U.S. Green Building Council Directory for more information and to review the Freeman Chicago Facility LEED Scorecard.
About Freeman
Founded in 1927, Freeman is the leading global partner for integrated experiential marketing solutions for live engagements including expositions, conventions, corporate events and exhibits. Headquartered in Dallas, with over 70 offices in North America and the U.K., Freeman produces more than 4,300 expositions annually, including 135 of the 250 largest U.S. trade shows, and 11,000 other events worldwide. Customer-driven and family-owned, Freeman offers a total package of solutions, with a scope of products and services unmatched by the competition. An employee-owned company, Freeman places an emphasis on respect for people and providing unparalleled customer service. Freeman has received numerous trade show industry awards for excellence in leadership, creative design, community service, innovation and customer-driven partnerships. For more information, visit www.freemanco.com.
