Lancaster Foods, LLC announced today that its 215,000 square-foot warehouse in Jessup, Maryland, has been LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system that provides third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. The acronym LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

“After a lengthy certification process, we are extremely proud to have a LEED-certified building,” says John Gates, president of Lancaster Foods. “In our business, contributing to a sustainable environment is very important.”

There are both environmental and financial benefits to earning LEED certification. LEED-certified buildings are designed to:

* lower operating costs and increase asset value

* reduce waste sent to landfills

* conserve energy and water

* be healthier and safer for occupants

* reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions

* qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances, and other incentives in hundreds of cities

* demonstrate an owner’s commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility