ConAgra Foods' LEED Platinum facility

A ConAgra Foods sweet potato processing plant in Louisiana receives LEED Platinum certification.

Fri, Jan 28 2011 at 11:48 AM

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Green Building, LEED

LEED Platinum Lamb Weston Delhi Processing Facility

Photos: ConAgra

Located in Delhi, La., the Lamb Weston Delhi Processing Facility recently received LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. This building is the first LEED Platinum certified frozen food manufacturing facility in the world.

“This LEED Platinum rating is really the icing on the cake for a well-designed sustainable project,” said Patrick Leonard, green building consultant, LEED AP, Paladino and Company. “LEED was used as a back check to validate the sustainable strategies implemented during design and construction. The Platinum rating is the positive outcome of our team’s focus on balancing the project’s impacts to the planet, employees and the community, and Lamb Weston’s bottom line.” Source: ConAgra Foods

Eco-friendly features used during the design and construction of the facility include an extensive climate control system that also improves worker safety, low-VOC carpeting, eco-friendly cleaning products, a biogas system that will reduce the plant’s natural gas use, 100+ acres of dedicated open space on site, and priority parking for low-emission vehicles.

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Comment: 1

Ed with Eco Eva... Jan 28 2011 at 8:25 PM

We work with clients all of the time that want to be more energy efficient. Those in business for the long haul always recognize the financial benefits of hedging energy costs. The payback of this type of project can only be realized over time and accurately calculated once historical data is accumulated. That being said, it is safe to assume energy prices will rise dramatically over the life expectancy of a facility. This provides leverage for that plant to stay competitive for decades to come.

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The improved indoor air quality will benefit the workforce and management as well. However, these variables are much more difficult to directly project. A LEED Platinum rating is a great way to tell the world you care but it does carry extra costs. The beauty of a LEED rating is it keeps everyone committed when the project inevitable has unexpected costs and everyone starts looking for ways to cut expenses.