TI's Sugar Land, Texas facility awarded LEED® Gold certification

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Jun 02, 2015, 11:31 ET

SUGAR LAND, Texas, June 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments (TI) Incorporated (NASDAQ: TXN) today announced the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification to TI's new design center in Sugar Land, Texas, near Houston. The award distinguishes the site as Sugar Land's largest LEED-certified facility. TI's design center is also the first building in the city to achieve Gold certification under LEED version 3.

TI's new design facility in Sugar Land, Texas

"The LEED Gold certification is a validation of TI's commitment to environmental stewardship and to the health of the communities where it operates," said David Thomas, vice president of worldwide facilities. "The Sugar Land facility was designed from the ground up to provide a great place to work while minimizing environmental impact."

Some of the site's sustainable design and construction features, which helped win the award, include:

Sustainable Sites

The site uses a highly reflective roof and pavement to reduce urban heat buildup
Exterior lighting is LED and dark sky compliant to reduce energy use and light pollution
Alternative transportation is accommodated with bicycle parking and showers and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations

Water Efficiency

Native and adapted landscaping to reduce irrigation requirements
Efficient indoor plumbing fixtures and irrigation system to reduce water consumption

Energy and Atmosphere

The building shell and systems are designed for efficiency to reduce energy use
Refrigerants and fire suppression systems minimize the use of ozone depleting substances

Materials and Resources

More than 27 percent of the materials in the building were made from recycled content, and 50 percent of all construction materials were locally produced
More than 91 percent of the construction waste was diverted from the landfill through reuse or recycling

Indoor Environmental Quality

Low-emitting materials such as paints, adhesives, sealants and carpet were used to minimize off-gassing and provide for better indoor air quality
Indoors, natural day lighting is used where possible, and efficient lights with sensors and controls meet additional lighting needs efficiently

TI began using LEED rating systems to guide continuing improvements for construction and sustainability in the early 2000s and now operates over two million square feet of LEED-certified buildings around the world. In addition to the Sugar Land site, TI's LEED-certified buildings include:

The Richardson, Texas wafer fabrication plant (RFAB), the world's first LEED-certified semiconductor manufacturing facility. RFAB received the LEED-New Construction (NC) Gold certification in 2004.
Phase V of the Baguio, Philippines assembly/test facility, the first LEED-certified building in the Philippines. It received LEED-NC Silver in 2009.
The Clark assembly/test facility in Pampanga, Philippines, the first facility in the Philippines to be awarded LEED-NC Gold, which it received in 2010.
Santa Clara, California Building A, awarded LEED-CI (Commercial Interiors) Gold certification in 2012.

Developed by USGBC, LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

The newly constructed 163,000 square foot facility is located directly across from the University of Houston-Sugar Land Campus. TI has had a presence in the Houston area for more than 50 years.

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is a global semiconductor design and manufacturing company that develops analog ICs and embedded processors. By employing the world's brightest minds, TI creates innovations that shape the future of technology. TI is helping more than 100,000 customers transform the future, today. Learn more at www.ti.com.

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SOURCE Texas Instruments