HP Inc.’s Boise, Idaho, campus was awarded Gold under the Sustainable SITES Initiative rating system. Owned and administered by the Washington, D.C.-based Green Business Certification Inc., SITES is a comprehensive program for designing, developing and maintaining sustainable landscapes.
HP’s Boise sustainable landscaping project is the first to earn a SITES certification in the state of Idaho and the first corporate campus in the world to be certified using the SITES v2 rating system. Through this project, HP collaborated with more than 10 local and national groups to replace non-indigenous grass on campus with native grasses that require less maintenance and attract local pollinators. Stack Rock Group, Boise, was the lead landscape architect on the project. The campus now saves 82,900 cubic meters of water annually and has reduced emissions by 90 percent and landscaping costs by nearly 50 percent. The project will reach full maturity by summer 2019.
“At HP, we strive to make life better for everyone everywhere—not just through technology, but through sustainability efforts within our operations and supply chain,” says Cynthia Rock, HP’s head of Corporate Real Estate and Workplace Services. “Through this landscaping project, we’re using less water, producing less emissions and increasing bee production—ultimately protecting our planet for future generations.”
The SITES rating system is based on the understanding that land is a crucial part of our built environment and by fostering its resiliency we elevate its economic, environmental and social benefits. SITES provides best practices and benchmarks projects against performance criteria, enabling the market to quantify and rate the sustainable use and performance of land sites. SITEScertified projects are better able to withstand and recover from floods, droughts, wildfires and other catastrophic events.
“HP understands that a green environment extends beyond the four walls of a building,” explains Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council, Washington, and GBCI. “Through the use of SITES, projects like this are creating ecologically resilient communities, reducing water demand, improving air quality and human health by connecting people to nature. Their work is part of the growing movement to holistically approach sustainable development and construct green buildings with accompanying green landscapes in green communities.”