CHICAGO — Creation of an environmentally sustainable building earned LEED Gold certification for Tate & Lyle’s new Commercial and Food Innovation Center in Hoffman Estates, IL. Certification was made by the US Green Building Council through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

Environmental concerns figured high on the list of design and construction criteria for the new facility. “From the outset, we were committed to designing and fitting-out our new Center in a responsible and sustainable way,” said Karl Kramer, president, innovation and commercial development for Tate & Lyle. “Receiving LEED Gold certification represents a significant achievement for everyone involved in the project, and great credit goes to our employees for actively supporting a culture of efficiency and sustainability in the way we maintain and operate the Center.”

Tate & Lyle’s award is in the LEED category for commercial interiors, which recognizes working spaces in leased commercial buildings that are healthy, productive places to work, are operated and maintained efficiently, and have a reduced environmental footprint. Areas rated by LEED include water and energy efficiency, management of materials and resources, innovation in design, and the quality of the indoor environment.

The company also received a BREEAM Offices rating of Excellent at the design stage for its new global head office building in central London. BREEAM is an environmental assessment and rating system for sustainable building design, construction and operation.

“Ensuring our employees across the world have a safe, healthy and productive environment to work in is important for Tate & Lyle,” said Edward Butt, vice-president, sustainability, for Tate & Lyle. “We are committed to continuously improving our environmental performance and are delighted that our new facilities in the US and UK have both been recognized for showing energy and environmental efficiency.”