Mars Chocolate North America began construction on its first plant within the United States in 35 years in late August. The plant is being built in a park that is designed as a green manufacturing park. In building the plant, Mars is pursuing LEED gold status with the project, which means by the estimated completion of the project in 2013, it will have earned 60-79 points for certification.
In recent years, environmentally friendly projects have been the focus of many companies looking to make an impact on the developing green design market. Companies have been constructing buildings with a focus on sustainability, taking into account everything from planning and site selection to using water, energy and materials in the most efficient ways possible. Stand alone parking facilities create an open air environment that do not meet the criteria for LEED certification but if it is contained within, connected to or located on the site of a LEED certified project, it may be encompassed within the project boundaries.
With gas prices reaching soaring new heights, more and more people are turning to hybrid and electric vehicles to get them to and from the places they travel to most. Car companies are responding to this growing demand by increasing production of their hybrid and electric vehicles in plants across the nation. Ford recently announced that they are tripling production of electric vehicles which is in turn creating more green jobs in Michigan.
The state of California takes the “green movement” seriously. Over 10 years ago they adopted a Sustainable Building Plan and allocated money to increase sustainable or green building construction throughout the state. Green buildings are designed to use their resources efficiently. They use recycled materials and environmentally sensitive materials in order to improve air quality and preserve the natural outside environment.
A new trend is sweeping the nation and transforming the design world into a whole new industry. “Going green” has become a priority to property managers, architects and designers. This affects both commercial and residential building projects.
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