Genzyme Center is hailed as one of the world's most environmentally responsible office buildings. Our Framingham Science Center is a breakthrough in sustainable design for research facilities. Our new site in Lyon, France, is one of the "greenest" in the country – and even the world.
Our world headquarters has received numerous awards and accolades for its environmentally sensitive design.
What makes these and many of Genzyme's other facilities "green" is a variety of attributes, from the use of sustainable or recycled materials to resource-conserving and waste-minimizing features. Over the past several years, we've committed to approaching our development projects – both newly built and renovations/upgrades – with an eye to sustainability. And we're constantly reassessing each facility's performance to see where we can make greener improvements or apply new technologies.
Here's a sampling of some of the features that make our facilities among the industry's greenest.
Genzyme Center, our corporate headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a highly visible expression of our dedication to sustainability. But it's only one of many of our sites worldwide that were constructed – or modified – to adhere to green standards. Here are some of our most recent efforts:
| Location |
Facility |
Description |
|
Cambridge, Massachusetts
|
Genzyme Center corporate headquarters
|
|
|
Cambridge, Massachusetts
|
Corporate offices
|
- Opened in 2006
- Fit out of existing office space
- Certified LEED Gold
|
|
Framingham, Massachusetts
|
Science Center
|
- Opened in 2008
- One of only 10 research labs in the U.S. to earn Gold LEED certification
|
|
Ridgefield, New Jersey
|
Biomaterials manufacturing plant
|
- Expansion opened in 2009
- Certified LEED Gold
|
|
Allston, Massachusetts
|
Protein manufacturing plant
|
- Expansion opened in 2010
- Certified LEED Gold
|
|
Northborough, MA
|
Distribution center
|
- Opened in 2010
- Certified LEED Gold
|
|
San Antonio, Texas
|
Corporate offices
|
- Fit out of existing office space in 2010
- Certified LEED Silver
|
|
Lyon, France
|
Bio-manufacturing plant
|
- Opened in 2011
- The first bio-production site to receive France's Haute Qualité Environnementale ("high environmental quality") certification
- Pursuing LEED certification of Gold or higher
|
|
Waterford, Ireland
|
Manufacturing plant
|
- Opened in 2011
- Certified LEED Gold
|
|
Framingham, Massachusetts
|
Laboratory and office space
|
- Opened in 2012
- Certified LEED Gold
|
What Is LEED?
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – is a rating system to quantitatively assess and certify the environmental sustainability of a construction project. Similar programs also exist in countries outside the United States.
The intention for Genzyme Center was to design it "from the inside out" – meaning with its workforce in mind. It's a philosophy we apply to all our green building initiatives. By bringing in abundant natural light and views to the outdoors, providing windows that open to let in fresh air, and allowing individual control of workspace climates, we create places conducive to comfort, focus, and efficiency.
In fact, in an employee survey conducted a year and half after Genzyme Center's opening, 72% of respondents said they felt more alert and productive in the new space – demonstrating that green building makes for good business. These are results Genzyme continues to strive for at all our worksites, as we explore the opportunities and benefits of building green.
We're providing our employees with a building and a working environment that's far superior to that which they'd experience in a conventional building. And, at the end of the day, that's a huge part of what green building is all about.
”
Rick Mattila,
Director, Genzyme Environmental Affairs