Hundreds of people showed up today to tour the new Novus International headquarters in St. Charles, MO. It’s a beautiful facility and I especially liked the “Wellness Center” in which it looked like you could get a massage! That’s taking care of your employees.
It is kind of like Novus day here on AgWired since Cindy and Carly are in Des Moines covering World Pork Expo thanks to Novus. So I attended the ceremony in St. Charles and got to see a number of friends in the industry who were also on hand.
After Missouri Governor Jay Nixon spoke we heard from Novus President and CEO, Thad Simons. He said that the new building was built on the basis of three C’s, collaboration, communication and cost.
The theme for the day was, “Sustainable Culture, Global Vision.” Simons says their vision is, “To help feed the world affordable, wholesome food and achieve a higher quality of life.”
After his remarks, Governor Nixon joined him on stage for the ribbon release and then it was time for more building tours and refreshments.
The Platinum LEED certified headquarters building was the star of today’s show. Energy for the building was purchased with renewable energy credits and it incorporates some interesting elements that include:
* The largest array of solar panels in Missouri (5,000 square feet).
* 10% of the total materials cost came from salvaged materials.
* 30% of the total materials cost came from recycled content. Examples include countertops made from recycled milk jugs and scrap aluminum, fitness room floor made from recycled tires, and carpet containing recycled yarn.
* Under-floor air distribution system; this state-of-the-art system is extremely energy efficient.
* Landscape using Missouri native grasses and plants designed to require no irrigation, equating to thousands of gallons of water saved each year.
* A storm water system that will greatly reduce the environmental impact of runoff and improve water quality to receiving streams and eventually the Missouri River.
* Skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize the use of natural light.
* Preferred parking for low emitting and fuel efficient vehicles.
You can listen to Thad’s remarks here: novus-simon.mp3
You can also download the remarks here: Thad Simons Remarks (mp3)