Armstrong World Industries said it has received Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system for its Lancaster, Pa.-based headquarters. Built in 1998, the location is only the sixth existing building and the first outside of California, to achieve USGBC’s highest certification, according to Armstrong.

“Armstrong is committed to environmental sustainability,” said Mike Lockhart, Armstrong’s CEO and chairman. “Modifying our headquarters building to enable it to be Platinum certified is a concrete manifestation of that commitment.

“The Armstrong team that conceived and executed this project demonstrated that we can significantly reduce our impact on the environment by changing the way buildings are designed, built and used,” he added.

Environmental features that led to Armstrong earning Platinum approval included: powering the building with 75 percent wind energy; reducing energy use to a rate of less than 1.5 watts per sq. ft.; reducing water use by 45 percent (from 800,000 to 420,000 gallons); recycling 60 percent of the building’s waste; cleaning with Green Seal certified products; and landscaping to provide erosion control and measured storm water runoff into adjoining wetlands.

“Armstrong’s headquarters is a model for companies seeking to introduce sustainable, environmentally friendly practices into their facilities,” noted USGBC president and chairman S. Richard Fedrizzi.