Ecofibre U.S. Headquarters

The Project

As demand for consumer goods grows, so does the need for a sustainable solution to the planet’s dwindling raw resources. Ecofibre is an innovator in industrial hemp, and its U.S. headquarters is as sustainable as its high-performance products. Paladin’s services included Whole Building Commissioning and LEED Administration for Ecofibre’s 50,000 sq. ft. facility containing a combination of office, manufacturing, and warehousing spaces. The team’s objectives included 1) ensuring LEED Platinum certification to demonstrate Ecofibre’s fundamental commitment to producing sustainable products; 2) shaping the facility as a marketing tool; and 3) ensuring a fully operational facility. The landmark product for the US headquarters is Hemp Black (TM), a hemp derivative with antimicrobial and antiviral properties that can be added to anything; currently in use in textiles, furniture, and flooring.

The Work

The project’s sustainability target drove each aspect of system design and construction requiring collaboration and coordination to meet quality, cost, and schedule milestones. The project program included a 30,000 sq. ft. warehouse and order fulfillment area, clean rooms for product manufacturing, and office areas supporting leadership, sales, and customer service functions. The building was also designed to be a symbol of transparency and sustainability with key lawmakers, industry leaders, clients, and stakeholders able to tour the entire facility and see all elements of Ecofibre’s process from order taking to order shipping.

The commissioning scope included true Whole Building Commissioning encompassing the Building Enclosure, MEP Systems, Renewable Systems, Rainwater Collection and one year of Monitoring-Based Commissioning. Hands-on design through operations phase participation honed goals, verified strategies, and transitioned the building to operations. Particular emphasis was placed on controls strategies to integrate all elements of the building operations into one interface with operations dashboard.

The Impact

Ecofibre’s HQ is certified LEEDv4 Platinum under LEED WDCv4, the first for any warehouse and distribution facility in the United States.

The facility is a model of sustainability featuring an outdoor hemp garden, transparent manufacturing clean rooms, daylighting, rainwater collection systems, geothermal HVAC, and photovoltaic panels.

As a marketing tool, Ecofibre’s tours provide transparency into a burgeoning industry and its product production to industry leaders and legislators as they advocate for developing and promoting hemp and its potential.