Houston Dow Center - LEED Gold
Heidi McCall Kevin McVey Adam Rash

 Largest diversified chemical company in the world
 Founded in Midland, Michigan in 1897
 Supplies more than 5,000 products to customers in 160 countries
 Annual sales of $45 billion
 52,000 employees worldwide
 One of the world’s largest industrial energy consumers
 Committed to Sustainability
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Turning Feedstocks into Essential Products
Energy
Salt Gas
Oil Coal
Biomass Recycle
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center
Building &
Construction
Electronics
Agriculture
Wire & Cable
Coatings
Automotive

MISSION
To passionately innovate what is essential to human progress by providing sustainable solutions to our customers
VISION
To be the most profitable and respected science-driven chemical company in the world
VALUES
Integrity
Respect for People
Protecting Our Planet
CORPORATE STRATEGY
Preferentially invest in a portfolio of technology-integrated, market-driven performance businesses that create value for our shareholders and growth for our customers
Financial Discipline Sustainability
Strategic Growth Performance Culture
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Corporate Commitment to 2015 Goals
 We will further reduce our global energy intensity by 25% from 2005-2015

We will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 2.5% per year through 2015
 By 2025, we aspire to reduce absolute emissions within the company
“No one in the world is more intensely aware of the need, ultimately, to reinvent our dependency on oil and natural gas than we are… We will lead the way on energy transformation because we have to.
And we have taken important steps already.”
-- Andrew Liveris
Chairman, CEO & President
The Dow Chemical Company
Liveris Launches 2015 Sustainability Goals
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Public Commitment
 Dow Committed in 1995 to reduce energy intensity by 20% from 1995-2005 (BTU/pound of production)
 Realized a reduction in energy intensity of 22%
 1990-2005 – Dow reduced greenhouse gas emissions by
21%
 www.dow.com/commitments
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

 Managed by Lab & Office Facilities
Management (LOFM)
 More than 14 million sq. feet of laboratory and office space
 Facilities spread over six continents and 30 countries
 Contributing to Dow’s 2015
Sustainability goals
– Expect to reduce energy intensity in BTU/sq. foot by 25% by 2015
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

 Early 2007: Dow assesses existing Houston
Dow Center (built in 1972)
 Dow determines replacement facility is necessary
 Dow determines criteria for new building
– LEED certified
– Single building capable of housing 1,200 employees
– Energy efficient
– Sustainable
– Good location close to employees
– Cost effective
 Project to be started in 2007 and completed by
November 2008
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

 Dow had to decide whether to move into an existing facility or construct a new building (leased)
– Search restricted to Houston area
– No existing LEED certified buildings were available capable of meeting the criteria
 Decision was made to lease a newly constructed building
– Developer/owner was seeking LEED
Core and Shell
– Dow to complement with commercial interior LEED certification
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

 Key decisions made through front-end loading process
– Involve several parties (LOFM Technology Center, Building Ownership,
LOFM Leadership, Facility Occupants)
– Intent to focus on reduction of electrical and water consumption was clearly defined
 Technology Implementation Plan (TIP) required immediate energy savings
 Employee engagement throughout process
– Rewarded employees with Energy Star compliant flat panel monitors for recycling
– Moved using plastic crates (not cardboard boxes)
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

 Negotiations with suppliers
– Required suppliers to recycle materials
– Reduced packaging for shipped products
– Held remote meetings to reduce travel costs and carbon emissions
 Metrics were established early
– Intended to track performance
– Current usage was set as baseline to measure success
 Timeline: 12 months – late 2007 to
November 2008
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

 First LEED certified building
 Dramatic behavioral changes resulted
– Recycling became an integral part of daily activities
– Employees moved from offices to open space
– Energy savings measures are now built into the standards of every LOFM project
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

 47.7% energy savings from
2008 to 2009
 70% water savings from 2008 to 2009
 Cut indirect carbon emissions by nearly 2 million kg in one year
 Saved 42 billion BTU from
2008 to 2009
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Application of Methods in Houston Dow Center
 Other new facilities have followed the example of the
Houston Dow Center
– Shanghai Dow Center
– Sao Paulo facility
 Modification of Dow Office Space Standards
– LED task lighting in cubicles
– Light sensors in cubicles
 Other chemical companies
– Light sensors in work areas and computer rooms
– Recycling of construction materials (over 90%)
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

 Old furniture/office supplies provided to local schools and non-profit organizations
 “Trash for Treasure Day”:
Employees were able to donate unwanted items and take items left by others
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Dow products were used in…
 Manufacturer's insulation materials
 Epoxies
 Grout
 A portion of the basic products used to make plastics
 Shaw (carpet customer of Dow) used
Dow backing material
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Key Elements of HDC’s LEED Gold Construction and
Commissioning
Technology
Center
Goals &
Technology
Senior Leadership
Support
Energy
Change Management
Communications
Lab & Office Facilities
Management
Implementation
Methodology
Energy
Reporting
Front-end Loading
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Technology
Center
Energy
Lab & Office Facilities
Management
Technology Center:
 Incorporated sustainable technology in the project
 Established sustainable goals at the onset of the project
 Assisted leadership with change management
 Benchmarked and tracked energy management goals throughout the project
 Managed scope creep that could impact energy use
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Senior Leadership
Support
Energy
Senior Leadership Support:
 Established LOFM organization to provide sustainable solutions
 Committed to being a sustainable company by setting aggressive goals
 Provided resources and funded the project
 Actively supported decision to move into a LEED certified building
Lab & Office Facilities
Management
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Front-end
Loading
Energy
Lab & Office Facilities
Management
Front-end Loading:
 Support and goals were clearly stated from the beginning of the project
 Key decisions were made at the start of the project
 Parties involved: LOFM Technology Center,
Leadership, Building Ownership, Occupants
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Energy
Reporting
Energy
Lab & Office Facilities
Management
Energy Reporting:
 Utility bills from Old Houston Dow Center were collected and compared to the bills from the New
Houston Dow Center
– Electric
Equated to standard energy reporting units: kBTU/gross square foot
Converted to carbon dioxide emissions
– Water
Also converted to carbon dioxide emissions
 Statistics were made public to employees through the company intranet
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Implementation
Methodology
Energy
Lab & Office Facilities
Management
Implementation Methodology:
 Project Execution Plan (managed by Project Team)
– Front-end loading
– Stakeholder communications
– Milestones and goals were set and achieved
 Technology Implementation Plan
– LEED certification
– Energy efficiency/savings
– Management of sustainability
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Change Management
Communications
Energy
Lab & Office Facilities
Management
Change Management Communications:
 Essential to explain responsibility to clients early
– Increases client support of effort
– Encourages client participation
 Clients understand what is expected of them throughout the process
 Driven by project management and facility leader team
 Communicating early allows for a smoother project process
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Goals &
Technology
Energy
Lab & Office Facilities
Management
Goals & Technology:
 Primary Goal: To construct a LEED certified building
 Technology used to achieve goal
– 90% Recycled construction materials
– Plastic moving crates in place of cardboard boxes
– Energy Star rated appliances
 Secondary Goals
– Building operating cost savings
– Community outreach
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

 Sustained drive in Energy Intensity reduction
– Since 1990, more than 38% reduction in EI worldwide
Since 1994:
– Cumulative Energy Savings = Approx 1,700 Trillion BTU
– Cost Savings (avoided fuel) = Over $9 Billion
– Cumulative avoided CO2 emissions of ~ 90 Million Metric Tons
 Demonstrated long-term effectiveness of our program
 Enhanced Corporate Reputation
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Good for Business:
Saves money, enhances global competitiveness, preserves jobs, creates prosperity for shareholders
Good for the Environment:
Fewer GHG emissions, part of the solution to global climate change
Good for Society:
Reduces demand, lowers energy bills, promotes energy security
Designing for Sustainability
Houston Dow Center

Heidi McCall htmccall@dow.com
Kevin McVey kjmcvey@dow.com
Adam Rash arash@dow.com