March 2003

Zeeland, MI Green design means a Gold U. S. Green Building Council, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) rating for the Herman Miller MarketPlace, Zeeland, MI. MarketPlace is Michigan’s first LEED™ Gold new construction project, and joins less than a dozen USGBC LEED™ gold certified projects nationwide. This distinction places MarketPlace among the country’s best buildings as defined by environmental responsibility, construction and operating costs, and as a healthy place to live and work.

Demonstrating that sustainable—green design does not have to cost more, MarketPlace’s construction cost of $89/SF is 33% below Herman Miller’s typical reference points and its documented operational cost savings are 41% below Herman Miller’s other facilities. The Granger Group of Companies, Lansing, Michigan, delivered this leased building model as a solution balancing herman Miller’s commitment to the environmet, agressive economic goals and high design quality.
A leased facility, MarketPlace embodies Herman Miller’s commitment to the environment while providing a profitable bottom line for developer the Granger Group of Companies, Lansing, MI.

“MarketPlace is a prime example of how Herman Miller continues to take a leadership role in bringing the environmental sustainability ethic to the corporate workplace,” says Len Pilon, director of Workplace Strategy and Facilities. “We’re very proud that even our leased facilities embody our commitment to the environment.”

“This project is sure to draw attention from around the country,” added U.S. Green Building Council President & CEO Christine Ervin. “MarketPlace is an outstanding demonstration of businesses simultaneously achieving strong economic and environmental performance through smart building design.”

Integrated Architecture Design Principal Mike Corby, AIA, created MarketPlace to be an office filled with what he terms the new luxuries for the 21st Century: natural light, fresh air and space. “MarketPlace illustrates our approach to green design - simple, sustainable materials within an environmentally sensitive envelope. Each project design is carefully crafted for maximum human comfort which results in tangible benefits of increased productivity and worker satisfaction,” Corby stated.

“Our expectation was to provide Herman Miller with a LEED™ certified, leased office property that would be nothing less than a great place to work,” said Gary Granger, PE, President, the Granger Group of Companies. “The intellisys™ building – created by Integrated Architecture, features a central light well, open ceiling, tall windows and high energy efficiency. The project was embraced by Herman Miller and has become a learning model for sustainable design, Herman Miller products and work place efficiency studies.”

Home to several Herman Miller departments the building’s open floor plan can also be easily reconfigured to meet changing needs. The building’s open and airy design has earned kudos from employees and visitors alike for everything from its central outdoor courtyard to the inventive use of bold graphic images.

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The MarketPlace is the second Herman Miller property to be honored with a Gold LEED™ rating. Building C1 at Herman Miller’s Zeeland, MI, Main Site headquarters earned a Gold rating for a renovated building from the U.S. Green Building Council in November.

The MarketPlace and C1 are the only buildings in Michigan to have attained this level of LEED™ certification.