Overstock.com HQ Gets LEED Gold Certification

June 16, 2017  by Larry Thomas in Industry, Special Events   

The LEED program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.

Overstock (NASDAQ: OSTK) officials said the facility achieved LEED certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

“We’re proud Peace Coliseum is the latest LEED Gold Certified building on the Wasatch front,” said Overstock.com Senior Vice President Carter Lee. “Sustainability was not an afterthought on this project; it was a major goal from day one, and I’m proud to say we’ve built an environmentally responsible corporate campus that rivals anything else in Silicon Slopes.”

The building is capable of housing up to 2,000 associates in an open space that sparks creativity, innovation and collaboration. This 231,000-square-foot structure resembles a classic Roman coliseum from the ground and the iconic peace symbol from the air. Travelers flying into Salt Lake City can see the peace sign embedded in the design from a window seat.

“Achieving LEED certification is more than implementing sustainable practices. It represents a commitment to making the world a better place and influencing others to do better,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of the Green Building Council. "Given the extraordinary importance of climate protection and the central role of the building industry in that effort, Overstock.com demonstrates their leadership through their LEED certification of Peace Coliseum.”

Attributes of the building that contributed to the LEED Gold Certification include:

• The selection of a former EPA Superfund site as the location for the building.
• Installation of View Dynamic Glass, which significantly reduces energy costs and improves employee comfort by automatically tinting based on the sun's orientation, time of year, and local weather conditions.
• A heating and cooling system that uses Variable Refrigerant Flow technology that transfers heat energy created from the onsite data center to heat the building, resulting in energy usage 33% lower than the average comparable building.
• Water-saving plumbing fixtures that will provide a 35% reduction in potable water use, which totals approximately 778,640 gallons saved per year.
• Fresh air intake monitoring system that maintains an optimal CO₂ balance.
• Harvesting and manufacturing nearly one third of the construction materials from within 500 miles of Peace Coliseum, including over 14,000 cubic yards of locally-sourced concrete.
• Sourcing nearly one quarter of construction materials from recycled components.
• Adjacency to the UTA Trax commuter rail and other public transportation.