Pearson Awarded Prestigious LEED® Green Building Certification

Sandy, Utah Facility Recognized for Environmental Excellence

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 22, 2010

Pearson announced today, Earth Day, that its Sandy, Utah facility has been awarded LEED-Certified (Commercial Interiors), status, established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. LEED -- The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.

The facility, home to Pearson's Edustructures and Learning Technologies Group, achieved LEED certification for its installation of high-efficiency lighting and controls, use of mostly recycled furniture and construction materials and finishes fabricated from sustainable sources.

Anthony F. Musto, Vice President, Project Management, Pearson set the goal to achieve LEED status and managed the project. The implementation of the specifications and design to achieve LEED status was done under the direction of Dorothy Zarnik, Principal, The Aztec Corporation and through collaboration with Donae Viertel, Facility Director, Pearson.

In addition to LEED design, Pearson worked with the Revive program at Green Solutions North America to help repurpose unneeded office furniture, directing it towards local charities, schools, and non-profit organizations as its first priority. Following completion of construction, the facility instituted an internal recycling program and cleaning/maintenance done with environmentally safe agents.

"Working closely with our core design team and end-users, Pearson earned its first LEED certification, a great achievement for the company," Musto said. "Not only is the new facility environmentally sound, but its design enhances the daily workspace experience for our employees. We expect to continue to work to attain LEED status and eco-friendly new facilities while upgrading existing locations to higher energy efficiencies."

"Building operations are nearly 40% of the solution to the global climate change challenge," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "While climate change is a global problem, innovative companies like Pearson are addressing it through local solutions."

LEED
Thirty-five thousand projects are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising over 5.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 91 countries. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. The US Green Building Council was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation. For more information, visit http://www.usgbc.org.

About Pearson
Pearson has global-reach and market leading businesses in education, business information, and consumer publishing (NYSE: PSO).

Contact:
Rod Granger, Pearson, (800) 745-8489, rod.granger(at)pearson(dot)com

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