Brentano has opened its new design studio in Wheeling, Illinois. The facility, which was formerly a warehouse, was designed to encourage inspiration, imagination, and creativity. President E-Kwan Chen and vice president Iris Wang included a series of eco-friendly elements throughout the space. These include:
- Outside air economizer and power exhaust fan
- High-efficiency rooftop HVAC units
- High-efficiency fluorescent lighting
- Dual lighting fixtures and controls
- Exterior wall insulation exceeds thermal requirements. Ten percent of the product is processed locally, reduces insulation construction waste by 50 percent, and is a renewable-based foam insulation made from castor oil instead of a petroleum-based product
- Interior sound attenuation insulation is certified to reduce noise; it uses 20 percent post-consumer recycled content
- 20 percent of materials are regional (within 500 miles of the project).
- Doors were made of FSC certified wood; 70 percent of every door uses recycled, regional, rapidly renewable resources and low-emitting materials
- USGBC-recommended openable exterior windows use pre-consumer recycled materials and low-emitting glass
- Ceiling tile manufacturer is a founding member of the USGBC and exceeds requirements for use of recycled content and low-emitting material
- Porcelain floor tile contains 20 percent pre-consumer recycled material
