Honda Transmission Technical Center & LEED

The US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED V2.0)
Certification Program requirements and criteria were used as a guideline and the building is registered with the program.

10 key green technologies were incorporated into the design and construction consisting of:

Geo-thermal system to pump underground water through (35) 300 foot deep vertical, closed loop wells in five circuits to and from the building.

A radiant heating system utilizing hot water-filled tubes in the floor to provide a more efficient, effective, and comfortable way to warm the work shop space thereby providing an ideal heating curve for the human body and improving the associates working environment.

Direct digital controls to monitor the HVAC system to allow for differing personal comfort levels.

Occupancy sensors for on and off control to provide efficient energy use.

Thermally efficient walls (R24), roof (R30) and windows.

Fully operable windows with low-e coated, insulated glass including skylights.

Skylights with baffles to control the level of light emitted into the workspace working in conjunction with high-efficiency light fixtures having automatic dimming controls to maintain constant light levels while harvesting the sunlight.

Light shelves on the southward-facing wall to maintain task lighting levels by controlling the sun's radiation angle at different times of year.

High efficiency light fixtures with T8 high efficiency lamps.

The use of recycled building materials including: asphalt paving, millwork, structural steel, raised computer flooring and aluminum windows framing.

Additionally, the building was positioned on the site adjacent to the existing retention basin that was modified for aesthetic views from the building and is used for landscaping irrigation and provides back-up fire protection supply. The center's waste control system was set up so that the waste streams in each area of the building were identified and an
appropriate green treatment is applied thus recycling building waste.

The new Honda Transmission Technical Center was able to cut energy costs by 85% from the earlier facility level thereby exceeding the projected goal of 50% and approximately 27% of the total materials cost was in recycled materials exceeding the 25% projected goal.

In 2002 the building was expanded by 10,200 square feet with all systems including adding (4) new wells to the geo-thermal system. In 2005 the building was expanded again adding another 12,200 square feet and a new field of (10) well to the geo-thermal system.