Owens Corning’s World Headquarters facility exemplifies the company’s mission statement: Greening our products; greening our processes, accelerating the pace of energy efficiency in the built environment.

From something as small as light bulbs to something as significant as the corporate headquarters, Owens Corning is living its values every day. And since 1996, it’s been doing so in a corporate headquarters that’s a tangible embodiment of the company’s commitment to sustainability.

Owens Corning World Headquarters is located in downtown Toledo, Ohio, on an industrial site that formerly was a derelict railway switchyard. The company restored or reclaimed more than 55 percent of the 42-acre site to its natural state. Avoiding the manicured grounds typical of corporate headquarters, the site is low-maintenance, with native vegetation and an abundance of wildlife that’s a pleasant surprise in the middle of an industrial city. The facility has become the cornerstone of urban renewal in downtown Toledo.

Owens Corning, a 70-year-old Fortune 500 company, put its money behind its values when it built a 400,000-square-foot corporate headquarters that met U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards before such standards existed; the building was planned with eventual LEED certification in mind.

The Owens Corning World Headquarters building was LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB 2.0) Silver certified in 2006, 10 years after it was completed. (LEED certification for new construction wasn’t launched until 2000 and the LEED for Existing Buildings platform was introduced in 2004.)

More than 55 percent of the 42-acre site, which was formerly a derelict railway switchyard, has been restored to its natural state with native vegetation and an abundance of wildlife.

Site Selection and Innovation

Supporting the company’s commitment to sustainability, the focus began with the selection of the site for the headquarters. Glen Hiner, then Owens Corning CEO, was working to break down the silos he perceived in the company, whose 10 business units tended to work as autonomous units. With the help of a team headed by Project Manager Jim Eckert, (who’s now director of corporate real estate), Hiner did just that, while modeling sustainability.

The building’s relatively narrow footprint, combined with its glass walls, creates a pleasant environment for employees. Offices and work areas are near windows, but not next to them, so interior walls don’t block daylight. Most employees enjoy a view of the Maumee River through a wall of glass that gives them optimal access to daylight. Most corridors and the in-house café face a tranquil inner courtyard. In addition to the aesthetic benefits, these open environments encourage collaboration across all levels of the company.

Among the many innovations in the new building is an under-floor air distribution (UFAD) system. This efficient UFAD/HVAC system was a significant contributor to the building’s LEED certification and helped reduce energy costs. Before moving into the new building, annual electrical costs were more than $1 million. Despite rising energy costs since the building was commissioned, annual electrical costs today are less than $800,000.

The under-floor ventilation system delivers air at much lower velocities than with traditional HVAC systems, allowing the use of smaller, more-efficient fans. And, controllable vents can be added where needed in workspaces for individual comfort. White noise helps reduce distractions. The result is thermal comfort and almost no noise, delivered in an energy-efficient manner.

The modular nature of the under-floor air, power and data distribution systems dramatically simplifies reconfiguration of workspace and significantly contributes to the building’s sustainability profile. Partition walls, workstations, power/data and voice systems are assembled from a modular kit and can be reconfigured using only a hammer, wrench and screwdriver.

In the company’s previous headquarters, moving an individual or a team typically cost more than $1,000 per person, and required carpenters, electricians, painters and other trades people. Today, that cost is less than $300. In a constantly evolving company that may relocate more than 1,000 employees per year, that adds up to big savings in time and expense. And, because almost all of the components can be reused, rather than ending up in a landfill, there’s a big environmental benefit, as well.

Preparing for LEED-EB Certification

The facilities team developed an array of innovative operational and procurement tactics in preparation for LEED certification. Motion detectors and photocells turn off lights when they’re not needed. Sophisticated computer programs determine when to operate and not to operate the HVAC system, and how to warm or cool the building after weekends. An automated step-by-step process warms up the building before employees arrive in the morning.

The biggest procurement issue was lighting. For aesthetic reasons, the architect had selected an uncommon lamp, fluorescent T8 U tubes with a smaller-than-usual turn radius. The lamps are very energy efficient, but every fluorescent lamp has a trace of mercury in it—that’s what makes the lamp fluoresce. When the lamp was checked against LEED standards, they were a deal breaker. The lamps contained enough mercury to be classified as a hazardous waste product under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. For the building to be LEED certified, either all of the fixtures and lamps had to change—at an estimated cost of $250,000 to $500,000—or the lamp supplier had to be convinced to change the product. In a surprisingly short time, Sylvania, the lamp supplier, agreed to change the mercury content in future production of the lamps, removing a final barrier to LEED certification. Working with the manufacturer to find a more long-term sustainable solution is an example of how the LEED certification process can help to make an observable product transformation.

Attention to Detail

No detail was too small to command attention. For example, the pattern that covers portions of the glass in exterior stairwells and in the atrium may seem decorative, but it’s really there to reduce heat gain in greenhouse-like areas that receive direct sunlight, thereby minimizing heat gain and impact on air-conditioning requirements. Even the carpet is designed to capture dirt as people enter, which helps reduce cleaning costs.

Through dedicated management of energy, a steady decrease in energy consumption can be seen during the new headquarters’ first eight years, although that’s leveled off as the building population increased. As the population and activity in the building ebbs and flows, continually reducing overall energy consumption is the focus.

Throughout the past three years, the overall consumption has been steadied and further reductions in the coming year are predicted.

Among the many unpredictable factors affecting energy consumption are outside climate conditions. Toledo’s average winter temperature is just 33 degrees Fahrenheit and its average summer temperature is 87 degrees F. Just as Owens Corning suggests to consumers to turn down their heating in the winter and air conditioning in the summer to save on their heating and cooling bills, it is doing the same in its own building while maintaining employee comfort and satisfaction. And, overtime air and lighting demands also can cause fluctuations in energy use.

A Continuing Commitment to Sustainability

Owens Corning views the building as a symbol of its continuing commitment to sustainability. Following the three tenants of sustainability — social, environmental and economic — looking at it 12 years later, the company would definitely do it all over again. Owens Corning’s World Headquarters exemplifies its values. And the bottom line is that the company believes it’s doing the right thing for the environment, its employees, and its business. 


For a list of sustainable materials and resources from the Owens Corning World Headquarters, visit www.EDCmag.com.