Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions  -  May 15, 2019

Unilever redevelops HQ for sustainability

Unilever North America’s headquarters building in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., has received LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the highest level of LEED certification available for sustainable buildings. The certification process assesses buildings across several categories including location and transportation, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation.

Unilever’s headquarters building was redeveloped beginning in 2014 to support the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, which called for a 50% reduction in the company’s carbon footprint while doubling its business. The new building unified four office buildings from the Englewood Cliffs campus into a single, state-of-the-art workspace, which was completed in 2018.

“The Englewood Cliffs headquarters project was developed with sustainability at its heart, and it was evident at every step of the process from choosing our partners and planning to construction and design,” said Unilever North America Workplace Director Nathaniel Barney. “At Unilever, we believe we have a responsibility to make sure our operations leave as small a footprint as possible on our planet while also providing our employees with a safe, healthy, and productive work environment. We are proud to earn the LEED Platinum certification as a result of these efforts.”

The 325,000 square foot renovation included interiors, as well as the construction of an entry pavilion and common area that stitched together the open space between individual buildings to create an entirely new, enclosed structure. The efficient building achieved a 41% reduction in square footage while being able to house more employees, which means less resources are needed to light and climate control the building. During the building phase, 75 percent of the construction materials were diverted from landfill. A shuttle service from New York City, Hoboken, and Jersey City has supported a 40% reduction in individual cars.