Asia Pacific, July 22, 2010 – Steelcase today announced that its Global Shared Services Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was recently granted Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification in the Commercial Interior category by the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the first commercial interior in Asia to achieve this ranking. The Steelcase Global Shared Services Kuala Lumpur (GSS-KL) combines a regional showroom that showcases the latest Steelcase products in a variety of workplace settings, with back office services for regional and global accounts.
The granting of the LEED Certification was the culmination of an extended process that began with site selection, the planning and setting of design and construction parameters, through the building process and on to daily usage. Working closely with independent LEED assessors in Asia, Steelcase approached the project as a case study on LEED design and development to share with customers, as the demand for “green buildings and ways of working” continues to grow and enter mainstream design.
“The GSS-KL has set a new benchmark for environmentally considered design in commercial interiors in Asia” said Uli Gwinner, Vice President, Steelcase Asia Pacific. “It not only reflects who we are, it embeds environmental awareness into the way our people work everyday. At the same time, the learnings from the LEED certification process have provided us with the knowledge and expertise to assist our clients who are looking to create more environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient workplaces.”
“For everyone working in the GSS-KL, the benefits have been significant”, says Matt Buckhold, Managing Director of Steelcase GSS-KL. “From easy access to public transport, to an open design with natural lighting for 90 percent of workstations that reduces energy usage, to reduced water usage, and enhanced recycling, the elements of the design informed by LEED criteria have created an excellent workplace – which has also assisted staff retention.”
In other news, the new Steelcase manufacturing facility in Dongguan, China, recently received notification of achieving ISO 9001, ISO14001, and OHSAS 18001 certification. The 27,000 sq. m. facility, which opened in March 2010, is located in a pastoral setting close to a river and mountains. The ISO9001 certification for the quality of the management and related systems, and ISO 14001for environmental management systems, are recognition of Steelcase’s systematic approach to design of the facility, and its daily work processes, which emphasized consideration of energy efficiency on its production lines and use of resources while providing a comfortable and safe work environment for the facility’s 400 plus employees.
The OHSAS (Occupational Safety and Health) 18001 certification recognizes the international standard of the health and safety systems put in place in the new plant. “The quick achievement of ISO and OHSAS certification at the new plant, is recognition of our considered approach to both the plant design, and the daily work processes Steelcase has put in places”, says Jeff Ge, Director of Steelcase Asia Pacific Operations. “It reflects Steelcase’s strong commitment to the environment in everything we do and the communities we live and work in, and as a model for sustainable practices in manufacturing.”
These certifications show that Steelcase’s commitment to the environment is delivering concrete benefits in every facet of our operations in Asia, from manufacturing facilities to showrooms to our client’s workplaces, and will continue to enhance the quality of life and benefits we can pass on to our clients and the local communities in which we work.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Cherry Wan
Steelcase Asia Pacific
T: + 852 2823 5527
E: cherry.wan@steelcase.com
About Steelcase Inc.
Steelcase Inc. helps create great experiences -- wherever work happens. Our brands offer a comprehensive portfolio of workplace furnishings, products and services, inspired by nearly 100 years of insight gained serving the world's leading organizations. We are globally accessible through a network of channels, including over 650 dealers. We design for social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Steelcase is a global, publicly traded company leading our industry with fiscal 2010 revenue of approximately $2.3 billion