2Sustain

Intel Corporation has obtained its first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the new Intel Design Center 9 (IDC 9), a state-of-the-art green building set to open in Haifa, Israel in June. (An exterior view of the building is shown above.)

IDC 9 has secured a LEED Gold-level rating and is the first building in Israel to receive this level of recognition for sustainable construction.

Here are a few notable elements of IDC 9’s sustainable design and construction:

• IDC 9 was built on land previously occupied by a parking lot.

• It includes an Intel Xeon processor-based data center that significantly reduces power consumption, with expected annual savings of $200,000.

• An automatic control system  regulates the flow of natural light, exposing more than 75 percent of the most populated areas of the building to sunlight.

• A rooftop garden enhances thermal insulation and prevents the building from retaining excessive heat.

• An automatic system measures carbon dioxide levels in the office space, improving air quality.

• Another system captures and recycles condensate water from the air conditioning system so that it can be used for irrigation.

• Dissipated heat from the air conditioners and data center computers is used to heat the building.

• Additional state of the art energy efficiency fixtures, including individually controlled lighting and air conditioning systems, are used throughout. A temperature sensor in every cubicle reports into a monitoring system on each of the building’s floors that alerts employees to excessive air-conditioning consumption and identifies malfunctions, which can lead to unnecessary power consumption.

“Intel is committed to incorporating principles of sustainability into the construction of new facilities as well as making strategic improvements to our existing locations so that they may meet the highest standards,” says Brian Krzanich, senior vice president and general manager of Manufacturing and Supply Chain for Intel. “By assigning equal priorities to economic, social and environmental goals, IDC 9 has managed to provide Intel with economic advantages while reducing environmental impact.”