Panasonic, under the consultation of Middle East Centre for Sustainable Development (MECSD), is working to achieve US Green Building Council (USGBC) Leed certification for its Dubai offices by 2012.

The USGBC Leed green building certification system is the pre-eminent program for rating the design, construction and operation of green buildings globally. Currently there are 35,000 projects participating in the Leed system, comprising over 4.5 billion sq ft of construction space globally.

“By using much less energy, Leed-certified buildings save money for their owners and the businesses that occupy them, and as a result reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community,” stated Thom Bohlen, chief technical officer, Leed AP, MECSD.

Leed for existing buildings addresses energy and water consumption reduction, improvement in indoor air quality, whole-building cleaning and maintenance issues (including chemical use), recycling programs, exterior maintenance programs and systems upgrades.

Further to this, the Japanese manufacturer is also striving to cut CO2 emissions by 15 per cent in its regional facility by March 2013.

“We have to be a socially responsibly company if we are to leave behind a green and sustainable future, and the Leed certification is just one of the important steps in Panasonic’s green revolution,” added Anthony Peter, associate director, Direct Communications & Customer Care (DCCC) Group, Panasonic Marketing Middle East.-TradeArabia News Service