MEMPHIS, Tenn., January 18, 2011 -- FedEx Express has made LEED Certification the standard for newly-built US facilities. LEED, the green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), of which FedEx is an active member, is the leading benchmark for buildings that are designed, constructed and operated sustainably. The newly-constructed FedEx Express Las Vegas facility is the first facility in the company to receive LEED certification, followed closely on its heels by FedEx Memphis-based World Headquarters LEED Gold certification under the USGBC’s LEED for Existing Buildings Rating System.
“FedEx is taking another step toward our goal to conserve energy, help the environment, and create better places for our customers and team members,” said Don Colvin, vice president of Properties and Facilities at FedEx Express. This certification is third-party verification that FedEx is being a good steward of the planet.”
The FedEx Express Las Vegas LEED Gold building reduces indoor water use by 49% through low flow plumbing fixtures rather than merely “code-compliant” fixtures. Energy savings, due to design elements such as skylights and evaporative cooling, are 42% higher than a similar building without these features. During construction, 86% of all construction waste was diverted through recycling and reclamation of materials. More than 75% of regularly-occupied spaces are sunlit to reduce the need for electric lights and provide better workspaces.
“LEED Gold certification is a significant accomplishment for our Las Vegas facility, which includes a package-sorting warehouse, vehicle maintenance bay and an office building,” said Stephen Mangin, project architect with FedEx Express. “That’s a lot of variables to work through. In addition to the water, energy and waste reduction benefits, the natural lighting throughout is a huge workplace environment bonus.”
The new LEED certification requirement also underwent internal review to ensure it meets the goals of the FedEx EarthSmart Solutions program. EarthSmart is a FedEx environmental innovation and branding program encouraging team members to identify innovative solutions and programs that go beyond industry standards to reduce our company's environmental impacts. When the EarthSmart Solutions designation is applied to any of our services or assets, it means it has tangible benefits to our business, to the environment, and to our workplace and customers, helping to guide FedEx in making smart choices today to deliver a more sustainable tomorrow.
FedEx has made tremendous investments in alternative energy, hybrid and electric vehicles, more fuel-efficient aircraft, as well as philanthropic and volunteer programs that integrate environmentally sustainable practices into daily operations. Our goal is to develop new strategies that improve our company’s environmental performance, and also pave the way for other companies, in our industry and beyond. Our standards of stewardship are embodied in EarthSmart, our commitment to connect the world responsibly and resourcefully.
About FedEx
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $37 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 285,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.