OSI Food Solutions Ostróda has been LEED Gold certified for its building in Ostróda, Poland. The LEED rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.
OSI Food Solutions Ostróda is a food processing plant and office that opened in September 2013 and includes a three-story, 6,000 square meter (64,600 ft²) processing and storage building. The facility is situated on approximately 11.5 hectares (27 acres) of land and was designed with significant regard to sustainability. The building achieved Gold LEED certification by implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
“We worked diligently to design and build a new facility that would meet the exacting standards of USGBC and we are thrilled to be LEED Gold certified,” said Rafal Naruniec, operations director for OSI Europe.
Specifically, the facility incorporated a variety of environmentally responsible and resource-efficient measures, including:
- Water-saving faucets
- Efficient indoor and outdoor LED lighting
- Renewable energy sources (photovoltaic, wind)
- Above-standard building insulation
- Chemical-free water treatment system
- Rain water capture and heat recovery for cleaning water
- Energy monitoring system
The construction also included use of a high percentage of recycled and regional materials, and the design incorporates a parking area for ride-share buses and bicycles.
“Building operations are nearly 40% of the solution to the global climate change challenge,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “While climate change is a global problem, innovative companies like OSI are addressing it through local solutions.”
OSI Ostróda mainly processes beef from the company’s nearby abattoir, producing hamburger patties to supply quick-service restaurants in Eastern Europe, including Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Baltic States, as well as Sweden and Finland.
Source: OSI Group LLC
