From Belgium to Beaverton and distribution to production, Nike is minimizing its carbon footprint by creating innovative, industry leading examples in sustainable engineering. Worldwide, Nike’s facilities are renovated and constructed to be increasingly energy-efficient and more sustainable.

To improve air quality, many Nike facilities use recycled and low volatile organic compound materials. At WHQ, such considerations have placed some of Nike’s facilities within the best certification programs, including a LEED-EB certification.

In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star rating for exceptional energy performance has been given to four of WHQ’s corporate office buildings. Our campus is fast becoming an ignition point for climate-friendly innovation.

Nike carries its green ethos beyond architectural considerations and into engineering. Nike retail facilities conserve energy through efficient air conditioning and lighting systems, while the Northridge Distribution Center in Memphis, Tenn. operates with an energy-efficient design that includes spot cooling and solar tracking skylights.

In Europe, sustainably designed facilities have resulted in a low carbon footprint and net zero carbon emissions. EHQ’s facilities in the Netherlands include a ground source heat pump and daylight harvesting, while Nike’s distribution center in Laakdal, Belgium, utilizes a highly insulated shell and pre-cooling system to better regulate temperatures.

To generate energy without deepening its carbon footprint, Nike’s facilities are utilizing renewable energy sources. As an example, EHQ purchases renewable energy from a local utility, while the Laakdal facility operates solely on windmill power generated by its six on-site windmills- a first for any company of Nike’s size in Belgium. Also, at the Portland, Ore. airport near WHQ, Nike helped install solar panels, which generate enough energy to supply 10% of its usage. Nike’s new child development center has also installed building integrated photovoltaic panels that will supply 15% of its energy usage.

At WHQ, Memphis’ Distribution Center, and two Nike retail factory stores, renewable energy credits are also purchased to offset 100% of electricity consumption.

Visit www.usgbc.org for more information about LEED-EB certification.