Stryker takes the LEED for facilty in Portage

Stryker Corps.’ patient handling and emergency medical equipment building in Portage — home of manufacturing and divisional headquarters office space — has been recognized for the way it has reduced its impact on the environment. Since the building’s construction in 2005, Stryker has reduced the facility’s energy usage by 27 percent through implementing a building operations plan, an energy audit and a retro-commissioning plan. Improvements have included the re-use of pallets, diverting plastic from landfills and overall trash cost reduction.The company’s efforts have resulted in LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council. Stryker has earned a silver designation in the LEED rating system for existing building operations and maintenance, the first manufacturer in Michigan to do so.The rating system under which Stryker’s efforts were evaluated assesses whole-building cleaning and maintenance issues, water efficiency, energy efficiency, sustainable purchasing, recycling programs, exterior maintenance programs and ongoing indoor air quality.  LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, which provides a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.The LEED rating system for New Construction has similar goals that apply to newly built facilities. Stryker’s manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China, has achieved a gold designation in the LEED rating system for new construction, one of only five facilities in China to achieve this rating.  These certifications recognize Stryker’s ongoing, company-wide efforts, many of which began in its European plants, to design and operate its facilities in a more sustainable and responsible manner.Stryker, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies, provides innovative orthopedic implants as well as state-of-the-art medical and surgical equipment to help people lead more active and more satisfying lives. Writer: Kathy Jennings Source: Stryker Corp.