Sartorius PR Facility Receives LEED Certification

Sartorius Stedim Biotech has been awarded the highest certification for ecological and sustainable building by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its new facility in Yauco, PR. The LEED certification system is an internationally recognized green building program. Sartorius is currently the only company to have a LEED Platinum-certified manufacturing facility for the biopharma industry. 
 
Sartorius invested $20 million in the new production building, which opened in the summer of 2012. The 55,000-sq.-ft. building complex provides space for two new cleanrooms for filter and bag manufacture, labs and offices. The building was designed to save approximately 85% of water consumed in comparison with conventional facilities, and the climate control technology, building materials, and perforated metal fins and diaphanous screen walls contribute to energy savings. Also, the company covers approximately 10% of its energy needs with a photovoltaic system installed on the roof.
 
“We are very proud to have received this prestigious rating for our new facility in Yauco from the USGBC organization. It acknowledges the green building measures that Sartorius has taken to ensure protection of the environment. Our innovative building sets new standards and proves that careful planning enables ecological and economical concerns to be reconciled,” said Volker Niebel, member of the Executive Committee of Sartorius Stedim Biotech.