The following are among the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design features included in the new Benchmark Group headquarters at 1805 N. Second St. in Rogers • Blue insulation: Denim insulation containing 85 percent recycled blue jeans was used to insulate the walls of the 118, 000-square-foot building.
• Light-pollution reduction: When considering pollution, most people automatically think of air and water. But Benchmark made it a point to reduce light pollution at its new facility, utilizing an exterior lighting system that lights company property and nothing else.
• Rooftop reflection: In warm weather, cooling buildings during the day uses a considerable amount of electricity. Benchmark installed a reflective roofing system to cut down on energy consumption and had it manufactured within 500 miles of Rogers, reducing the amount of fuel needed to transport the product to the building site.
• Rainwater capture: A rainwater capture system will take advantage of the area's 44-inch average rainfall by routing it from the roof of its new building into a 2, 000-gallon underground storage cistern. The water will be used for landscape irrigation.
• Good wood: Approximately 97 percent of the wood used in the construction of the facility - rough lumber to fine cabinetry - meets certification standards set by the Forest Stewardship Council.
• Bigger yet better: The result of combining energy-efficient HVAC equipment with researching and implementing sustainable design elements is rather amazing. While Benchmark's total office square footage more than doubled, actual energy usage is estimated to drop by one third.
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