PLANO, Texas, Nov. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Frito-Lay's new distribution facility in Oahu, Hawaii has earned the U.S. Green Building Council LEED ® Gold certification. The 55,000 square foot design is Hawaii's first industrial "new construction" Gold site. LEED certification is awarded from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) 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. The building design incorporated LEED requirements such as energy efficient construction. Some features of the building and construction include: - energy management system to control facility equipment. - photovoltaics to generate 10% of the facility's electricity - parking on the roof to reduce the amount of site being paved - energy efficient windows and skylights to provide ample daylight - light colored paved surfaces to reduce the heat island effect - reserved parking for carpools and energy efficient vehicles - high efficiency LED lighting in the parking lot Materials were selected for recycle content, regionally manufactured or low levels of volatile organic compounds. Water use was reduced by installing low-flow plumbing fixtures. Low-maintenance native plants were incorporated into the landscaping design. The design build and general contractor for the distribution center was The Haskell Company.
