Toyota is working to meet society's growing transportation needs in ways that won't harm the Earth. The company applied the same philosophy to its new South Campus Headquarters, which was developed to consolidate several employee divisions into one area, reduce occupancy expenses, and provide future flexibility. The 624,000-square-foot, 40-acre campus also serves as a tangible example of Toyota's environmental commitment and demonstrates the value of green building to shareholders.
To pass muster with Toyota's shareholders, the LEED design for the building had to demonstrate at least a 10% return on investment. With a focus on long-term operational savings, the building is exceeding that requirement. Energy savings total $400,000 annually, and the extensive solar rooftop system is expected to pay back within 7 years. The campus also saves $12,000 per year via reduced water usage, and diverting more than 95% of construction waste from landfills saved $35,000. Equally important, the environmental features came without a cost premium: at $63 per square foot, the building shell is in the lower half of the $54 to $76 range for a campus, and interior costs were also in the low range.
To fund some of the innovative technologies, the project team tapped into incentive programs such as the Southern California Edison's Savings By Design program and the California Public Utilities Commission Self-Generation Incentive program, which paid 50% of the installed cost of the solar panel system. Other financial savings come from using recycled water, which is 30% less expensive than potable water, and using solar electricity to offset peak rates.
The Real Estate and Facilities Department of the sales organization created Process Green to demonstrate environmental leadership wh ...