On May 25, 2006, the Melink Corporation held the grand opening of its 30,000 SF headquarters at 5140 River Valley Road in Union Township. Ohio Governor Bob Taft, and Kevin Hydes, Chairman of the US Green Building Council, were featured speakers at the event. The grand opening garnered significant attention because the building is one of only 100 in the world and the first in Ohio to achieve gold certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The gold certification is recognition by the US Green Building Council that the building's design emphasizes energy conservation and sustainable development.
The Melink Corporation was founded in 1987 and provides energy efficient HVAC products and services for restaurants, supermarkets, and retail stores. In part because its products help improve energy efficiency, the company decided to design its headquarters with reduced energy requirements. Steve Melink estimates that qualifying for gold certification added about 10% to construction costs, an expense that will be offset by $35,000 in annual utility savings. The building was designed to be 50% more energy efficient than a typical building, but actual operations to date have been 75% more efficient. Energy efficient building features include photovoltaic solar panels, geothermal heating, and daylight sensors that control lights.
Melink's headquarters are one of the few buildings in the Greater Cincinnati area awarded LEED certification, though green buildings are becoming increasingly popular nationwide. Green buildings use sustainable design to increase energy efficiency, reuse materials, and reduce air and water emissions. In addition to lower utility bills, employers note that green buildings often result in higher employee productivity, attendance, and retention.
Click here to watch an interview where Steve Melink describes his company and his green building. Melink's website can be visited at www.melinkcorp.com.
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