Technology with the Environment in Mind

The goal of the “Green Building” project is to reduce the impact of construction on the environment. By doing this Intel joins the world’s efforts in sustainable construction. The Green Building project differs from conventional building projects by assigning equal priorities to economical, social, and environmental goals. The new Intel R&D building, located in Haifa, Israel, is designed per the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED*) rating system. These were the objectives of the design process: • To achieve energy and water savings. • To incorporate environmental friendly materials into the building. • To implement waste and recycling policies. • To provide a high-quality internal environment. • To position and plan the site to reduce the impact on the environment. The new Intel R&D building is now under construction and is undergoing a certification process. Once awarded, it will become Intel’s first certified Green Building worldwide! This project was initiated to address the need for a “smart” building. The Green Building concept was found to be the most suitable for this purpose, particularly for an R&D building. Research shows that such a building improves tenants’ satisfaction and health, enabling higher employee productivity; and it reduces energy and maintenance costs for the owners. The estimated ROI due to operational costs is approximately five years. In this paper we show the innovation, logic, drivers, and triggers that helped us overcome significant challenges in dealing with an inexperienced local building industry, and in driving innovation in a large organization. Our engagement with the local construction industry adds a new dimension to the concept of Intel social responsibility. Our key message is that it is possible to execute a local and innovative initiative successfully, even in global corporations, once the initiative supports the corporate values.