Legislators tour Saint Gobain headquarters
More than 25K have already toured stateof-the-art facility
Two Pennsylvania state representatives have become the latest among the more than 25,000 people who have visited the Saint-Gobain-showcase building in Malvern. State representatives Warren Kampf, R-157th Dist. and Harry Lewis, R-74th Dist., took part in a two hour presentation and tour Wednesday hosted by the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance (KEEA).
The Saint-Gobain North American headquarters is a LEED Platinum building rebuilt using sustainable, energy efficient construction materials that reduce energy usage and related costs, while improving the work environment for employees.
“KEEA brings policy makers from around Pennsylvania to see energy saving in action,” said Julian Boggs, policy manager for the non-profit, which represents the interests of the clean energy industry in Pennsylvania and advocates clean energy to government. “Energy efficiency makes business more competitive and creates jobs and savings.”
The 277,000 square foot main building once housed the National Liberty and Aegon insurance companies. The company oversaw the $80 million dollar renovation using more than 60 of their products which were bought by suppliers at market value to show the potential saving.
Saint-Gobain was founded in 1665 to make the glass for the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in Paris. The company now employs 170,000 people in 68 countries, with more than 800 at the Malvern location. Saint-Gobain products are used in the Statue of Liberty, the Comcast Towers and in components of the Mars Rover.
The corporate policy at SaintGobain is committed to inventing sustainable building and recognizes that manufacturing and distribution operations have an impact on the environment.
“We use more energy (in manufacturing) than 54 countries,” said Lucas Hamilton, SaintGobain building science application manager. “However, over the course of their lives, in one year, using our products (worldwide) is removing CO2 the equivalent
to a forest the size of the state of Maryland.”
Hamilton said the company is always looking for ways to reduce energy usage in making its products. He pointed out the company has an internal price on carbon that they price into the cost of products.
Hamilton and Tamara Mueller, Saint-Gobain Business Development and Strategy, led the discussion with public officials.
Getting more light inside the office space, while avoiding the heat that comes with it, was one of the goals of the designers said Hamilton. A typical office building needs cooling through much of the year, he said. One way the company reduced the need for cooling was the use of its Sageglass electrochromic glass, which optimizes sunlight and reduces the strain on the building’s HVAC system.
Hamilton said the Sageglass had been so successful it caused the building to run cooler than planned.
Hamilton said 20 percent of the building’s roof is covered in solar panels but added that is only enough to supply one percent of the required energy usage. The open concept offices were designed to allow as much natural light as possible, but muted to reduce glare. Large welcoming windows fill the building’s lobby but are coated in shading to mute late afternoon light.
An $80 million dollar building is expensive but Hamilton pointed out that at most companies, 85 percent of the cost is their people. Making employees more productive is worth the additional cost and that is where Saint-Gobain incorporates building materials to make its open space office pleasant with materials such as acoustical wallboards, paint color selection and lighting that improves employee efficiency.
Hamilton said SaintGobain is able to demonstrate that its building improvements have improved productivity over one percent overall, which transfers to eight employees in an 800 person office. In addition, the company has seen a 140 percent increase of sales leads from their phone marketing staff after
the move from the old building in Valley Forge.
“A really good building can affect your business in many ways,” said Hamilton. We’ve done extreme work on noise levels and the proper level of a speaker to background noise.
Mueller demonstrated the qualities that produce an improved learning environment in one of the building’s conference rooms. Its glass walls allow visitors sightless outside while the sound was quiet.
“Every wall or ceiling is doing something to make your experience better,” said Mueller. “This is
what we think a classroom should be.”
Mueller said the building monitors airflow as well as removing harmful substances such as naturally occurring formaldehyde that accumulate in buildings. Sensors in the building adjust the proper mix of fresh air while removing stale air and pollutants.
“The challenge is getting more people to pay money investing in buildings that can save environmentally,” said Ray Heyfield, CEO of Certainteed, a Saint-Gobain subsidiary. “The more you can do that in schools, hospitals and retirement
homes, you get a massive payback in both education and healthcare.”
Both Lewis and Kampf asked what the state legislature can do to help advance the company.
“We’re so glad you’re here in Chester County,” said Kampf, who asked about metrics on the cost of products and return on investment as well as the number of employees who use the company shuttle to the Paoli train station.
Mueller said that in June 2018 the average daily ridership on the shuttle was 17 employees. The total number of round trip rides was 331.
Hamilton said the building costs are competitive as the company built, paying market rate for their own materials.
Lewis said he was excited by what he saw and heard, and suggested taking information to Coatesville and school district officials.
“I see a creative environment starting with the schools,” he said. “Saving tax dollars with this kind of thing is essential. I’m going to get my staff started on what we can do.”