CEMEX USA announced today its Houston headquarters is the company’s first office globally to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Gold Certification, a worldwide-leading designation for high-performance buildings that looks at reducing environmental impact during the planning, construction and occupancy stages.
CEMEX USA executives, including CEMEX USA President Ignacio Madridejos, hosted a celebration on Feb. 19 to recognize the accomplishment. CEMEX USA was awarded a plaque from the USGBC to display the building’s new LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.
“At CEMEX, our operations work each day with sustainability in mind, and that is no different at our U.S. corporate headquarters,” says CEMEX USA President Ignacio Madridejos. “We are focused on reducing our environmental impact, and we are proud to work in a building that aligns with those values.”
CEMEX USA collaborated with architects at Inventure Design of Houston to develop company offices on two floors of the six-story building in Memorial City. The design showcases the versatility of CEMEX products while creating state-of-the-art workspaces. An iconic spiral staircase designed to look like a poured in-place concrete product links CEMEX USA offices on the second and third floors. The staircase utilizes a handrail made of rebar, and all hallways of the CEMEX USA office feature exposed polished concrete floors.
The building has been home to CEMEX USA’s corporate office since January 2017 and overall, has more than 240,000 square feet of space. The structure is comprised of 20% recycled materials and boasts several additional sustainable qualities to achieve LEED® Gold Certification. The building, owned and operated by MetroNational, accomplished a 52% power reduction. All electric equipment in the structure meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® Certification. Water consumption has been reduced by one-third with the use of efficient fixtures. Also, 9 out of 10 work areas in the CEMEX USA offices receive natural sunlight.
“MetroNational would like to congratulate our longtime tenant, CEMEX USA, on earning this prestigious certification for their corporate office,” says MetroNational President Jason Johnson. “Like CEMEX USA, MetroNational is also committed to green building practices and sustainability throughout the Memorial City development.”
Globally, CEMEX promotes sustainability and conservation as a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and the company requires any new corporate office or major renovation to secure some type of green building certification.
