The Johnson Controls corporate campus is now home to the largest concentration of LEED Platinum buildings. Situated on a 33-acre site in Milwaukee with 7 total facilities, 4 buildings have received USGBC’s highest level of certification.
Energy use has been reduced by 21%, despite doubling the complex’s space by an added 160,000 square feet. A combination of recycled greywater and low-flow fixtures has reduced annual water use by 595,000 gallons, aided by a rooftop collection system that filters and stores rainwater. The roof also includes a layer of solar film as well as vegetation. Permeable paving blocks were used to resurface a 3-acre parking lot, allowing stormwater and snowmelt to be collected into an attractive retaining pond.
Renewable energy was a critical part of energy reduction. A geothermal heat pump, comprised of 272 wells that are 300 feet deep, augments the efficiency of heating and cooling with moderate subsurface temperatures and mass. Installed directly above the system is a 250kW PV array. This configuration allows for the 31,115-square-foot solar panels to share the same footprint as the geothermal system.
Inside, each employee can adjust their personal workspace for light, airflow, volume, and temperature. They can even introduce white noise to mask sound. All environmental systems turn off after 10 minutes of inactivity, operating on the same principle as motion sensors.
The company anticipates recouping their spend within eight years.