OFS Brands Chicago Showroom Awarded LEED® Green Building Gold Certification

Huntingburg, Indiana – November 2008, OFS Brands has recently been awarded LEED®-CI Gold Certification for their Chicago Showroom in the Merchandise Mart by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the USGBC’s leading rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy efficient, and high performing buildings.

LEED Certification of the OFS Brands Chicago Showroom was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. Designed to our nation’s high environmental standards by architecture firm, The Environments Group, which recently merged with Perkins and Will, the OFS Brands Showroom in the Merchandise Mart has achieved LEED Gold Certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. This 16,000 square foot showroom immerses clients in a world-class experience showcasing the company’s integration of furniture, architectural products, technology, and materials.

The sustainable design strategies offer benefits far beyond what could be achieved through conventional design. This new showroom lowers operating costs and increases asset value, reduces waste sent to landfills, conserves energy and water, is healthier and safer for occupants, reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and demonstrates OFS Brands’ commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility. “The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on nonsustainable and expensive sources of energy and threats to human health,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "The work of innovative building projects such as the OFS Brands Showroom is a fundamental driving force in the green building movement." OFS Brands is committed to building to LEED Green Building standards for this showroom and all future corporate design build projects.

The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other non profit organizations. Since USGBC’s founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 17,000 member companies and organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED® green building rating systems, an expansive educational offering, the industry’s popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org), and a network of 78 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™ is a feature-orientated rating system that awards buildings points for satisfying specified green building criteria. The six major environmental categories of review include: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Envrionmental Quality and Innovative and Design. Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of LEED green building certification are awarded based on the total number of points earned within each LEED category. LEED can be applied to all building types including new construction, commercial interiors, core and shell developments, existing buildings, homes, neighborhood developments, schools and retail facilities.

Incentives for LEED are available at the state and local level and LEED has also been adopted nationwide by federal agencies, state and local governments, and interested private companies. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org/LEED.

OFS Brands, Inc. is a family owned corporation, headquartered in Huntingburg, Indiana, and is committed to providing socially responsible furniture and logistic solutions through better design, excellent performance, and innovative products and services. For more information contact Chris Rogers, Director of Design, OFS Brands, Inc, crogers@ofsbrands.com or 800-521-5381x7213.