SAP Headquarters joins another LEED certified building on the 110 acre campus of SAP America, which is surrounded by a wooded area. Offices to the north enjoy sweeping views of the woods, while the south side is made up of a wood-laminated glass covered atrium. In the winter, the sun reaches in through the louvered shades to warm up the open space, while in the summer, the louvers protect the space from becoming overheated.
A large green roof covers the entire building, providing insulation and reducing heat gain, while rainwater collectors trap rainwater for storage in a 50,000-gallon cistern that supplies water for landscape irrigation and the flushing of toilets in some of the building’s bathrooms. Native and regional vegetation are used in the landscaping. The building also features geothermal wells, calibrated lighting systems, an ice energy storage system, and under-floor air distribution to reduce energy use.
SAP Americas is currently the largest LEED Certified Platinum building in the State of Pennsylvania. The new four-story building received the maximum LEED points in the “water efficiency” and “innovation in design” categories.
Images © FXFOWLE
