MELVILLE, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced today that the 114,000 square-foot expansion of its distribution center in Norcross, Ga., has been awarded LEED® v4 certification in the “Building Design and Construction – Warehouses and Distribution Centers” category. Used to store inventory and fulfill orders placed in the U.S., the facility is the first warehouse to receive this new version of LEED.

“Building Design and Construction – Warehouses and Distribution Centers”

“Canon aims to be a leader in environmental sustainability by minimizing our carbon footprint in many areas of our operations,” said Seymour Liebman, executive vice president, Canon U.S.A. “The LEED v4 certification of our distribution center in Georgia is an example of this commitment. We are proud to be the first facility to receive LEED certification in this new category.”

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Established by the U.S. Green Building Council, Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program that recognizes buildings, homes and neighborhoods that are designed, constructed, operated and/or maintained to be environmentally responsible and resource-efficient. LEED v4 focuses on increasing technical stringency from past versions and developing new requirements for project types such as data centers, warehouses and distribution centers, hotels/motels, existing schools, existing retail, and mid-rise residential.

Elements that earned the Canon distribution center its LEED v4 certification include:

• Energy efficiency due to motion sensors and efficient lighting, improved heating systems and a 50kW solar panel installation
• Water-saving measures including efficient, low-flow fixtures in restrooms, as well as water-efficient plantings over parts of the exterior site to reduce reliance on irrigation systems
• Environmental operating practices such as a comprehensive recycling program, the increased use of recycled content materials for logistics supplies and a “green cleaning” policy that requires a majority of cleaning material/product purchases to meet environmental standards
• Potential reduction of CO2 emissions due to exterior electrical outlet “plug-ins” for trucks to avoid idling

These updates reduce, compared to baseline calculations*, energy consumption of the expansion by 30 percent, indoor water use by 35 percent and outdoor water use by 57 percent.

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“LEED v4 is the LEED of the future, where we challenge the marketplace to go further, to make the next great leap toward better, cleaner, healthier buildings where people work,” said Scot Horst, senior vice president, LEED, USGBC. “LEED v4 provides solutions for optimizing performance, and ultimately achieving better environmental, economic and social outcomes in our buildings. Canon has undoubtedly shown their commitment to environmental sustainability by earning this next level of LEED certification.”

Balfour Beatty Construction managed the project in a Design-Build approach and oversaw the LEED v4 pilot project. Gensler was responsible for the planning, interior design and architecture for the expansion.

The LEED certification is the second environmental certification for the space, which is already certified to ISO 14001. Beyond the LEED-certified expansion, more modern and efficient upgrades were made to the existing warehouse as well, such as installation of efficient lighting and heating systems. Additionally, two nearby facilities were consolidated into the new space, which is anticipated to reduce transportation-related CO2 emissions.

As another example of Canon’s commitment to environmental sustainability, the Canon Americas Headquarters, located in Melville, N.Y., was awarded LEED Gold certification in February 2014. The Canon Americas Headquarters is the largest commercial property on Long Island to achieve this level of LEED certification. For more information about Canon U.S.A.’s additional environmental efforts, visit: www.usa.canon.com.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $36 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents granted in 2013† and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2014. In 2013, Canon U.S.A. has received the PCMag.com Readers’ Choice Award for Service and Reliability in the digital camera and printer categories for the tenth consecutive year, and for camcorders for the past three years. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to itsKyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. In 2014, the Canon Americas Headquarters secured LEED® Gold certification, a recognition for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of high-performance green buildings. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA.

About the U.S. Green Building Council

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on Twitter and Facebook.

About LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction, maintenance and operations of green buildings. Every day, more than 1.5 million square feet (140,000 square meters) of space is certified using LEED. Nearly 54,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising 9.7 billion square feet (905,812,824 square meters) of construction space in more than 140 countries and territories. In addition, close to 40,000 residential units have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with more than 100,000 more homes registered. Learn more at usgbc.org/leed and review the Foundations of LEED development process.

†Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

*Baselines used include: for energy consumption, ASHRAE 90.1-2010; for indoor water consumption, the criteria specified in LEED BD+C: Warehouses and Distribution Centers, v4, Indoor water use reduction credit; and for outdoor water consumption, the EPA’s WaterSense Water Budget Tool (v 1.01).