Energy

GM Facility is Korea’s First LEED Certified Automotive Building

Jun 23, 2014 2:30 PM ET
Campaign: GM Energy Efficiency

Recently our Korea Design Center in Incheon, South Korea received LEED Gold certification. It’s the first automotive facility in South Korea and our seventh worldwide to achieve LEED certification.

“With its seventh LEED-certified building, General Motors is once again exemplifying an unwavering commitment to its employees and the environment writ large,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “GM continues to advance LEED in new territories, most recently South Korea’s automotive manufacturing industry. This kind of corporate leadership is an essential force for driving the green building movement forward, and I eagerly anticipate many more LEED buildings in GM’s future.”

Elements of our design center’s environmental design include:

  • Adopting energy-efficient technology and LED lighting throughout the facility, reducing energy cost by 26 percent
  • Reusing rainwater for toilets and landscaping, cutting overall water consumption in half
  • Installing a chlorofluorocarbon, or CFC-free, cooling system
  • Using recycled and regional materials for construction, and monitoring construction waste disposal
  • Using storage and collection facilities for recyclables
  • Installing a ventilation system, using low volatile organic compound, or VOC, paints and adhesives, and removing indoor air contaminants through high-efficiency filtration systems

We pursue green building design and construction practices on all projects worldwide. Whether constructing new facilities or upgrading existing ones, we use LEED design and engineering guidelines for resource efficiency, conservation and sustainable materials.

Furthermore, LEED-designed buildings generally have cleaner indoor environmental quality, which means health benefits for our employees.

“Green buildings with increased ventilation and better lighting support the health and productivity of employees,” said Doug Ravas, General Motors’ senior manager, global facilities.

The GM Korea Design Center joins these other GM facilities in receiving LEED certification: GM China Advanced Technical Center (Silver), GM China Headquarters (Gold), GM Enterprise Data Center in the U.S. (Gold), Joinville Engine Plant in Brazil (Gold), Lansing Delta Township Plant in the U.S. (Gold) and Milford Proving Ground Administration Building in the U.S. (Gold).