SAN FRANCISCO - Coalesse®, a premium live/work furnishings brand, recently announced that it was awarded LEED Gold certification for its showroom in The Merchandise Mart in Chicago, IL.
Given by the U.S. Green Building Council, an organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction, LEED stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" and provides a set of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. Coalesse was awarded LEED Gold certification for its Chicago showroom—one of the highest levels of certification possible. Every point Coalesse submitted to the USGBC for certification was accepted.
With the goal of achieving LEED certification, the project team that created the Chicago showroom was involved early in the "greening" process. The team understood the possibility of lowering long-term operating costs by using efficient infrastructure and building materials including electrical, plumbing, and painting supplies. Creating an environment that maximized exposure to natural light, cleaner air, and low-emitting chemicals was also important to the group.
"This is fantastic news for Coalesse and Steelcase," says Kevin Owens, director of sustainability for Coalesse. "This certification demonstrates what has always been our company's focus-being responsible and innovative in every one of the designs that we create."
The areas of focus that lead to LEED certification include sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process. Within these areas, LEED has continually evolved since its inception in 1988 by incorporating emerging and developing green technologies as they become available.
In addition to this newest certification, Coalesse now has eight accredited LEED professionals on its team as part of its ongoing effort to remain a leader in sustainability.
For further information on USGBC and LEED certification, visit www.usgbc.org
About Coalesse
Coalesse, a division of Steelcase Inc., provides premium furnishings suitable for corporate, hospitality, and residential settings. The brand's top talent joins forces with three renowned companies with rich histories—Brayton International, Metro Furniture and Vecta. Coalesse's design team seeks to create the next generation of furnishings for the contemporary workspace and home through a brand new category of products designed specifically for live/work lifestyles. With design headquarters based in San Francisco, Coalesse is dedicated to creating furnishings that fit the constantly evolving way in which people work and live. For further information on Coalesse, visit www.coalesse.com.
About Steelcase Inc.
Steelcase, a global leader in the office furniture industry, helps people have a better work experience by providing products, services and insights into the ways people work. The company designs and manufactures architecture, furniture and technology products. Founded in 1912 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI, Steelcase serves customers through a network of more than 600 independent dealers and approximately 13,500 employees worldwide. Learn more at www.steelcase.com.
