EMD Serono, Inc.'s research center has achieved LEED Gold Certification under the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).
"This distinguished certification from the U.S. Green Building Council is a reflection of our commitment to leadership, innovation, sustainability and making a difference in society," said Fereydoun Firouz, president and CEO, EMD Serono, Inc. "From the project's inception, we were committed to constructing a research facility that was founded on environmental responsibility and cutting-edge technology, to create a pioneering spirit among our scientists that fosters creativity and ingenuity in the development of new therapies in our core disease areas."
"EMD Serono's LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "The EMD Serono research facility efficiently uses our natural resources and makes an immediate, positive impact on our planet, which will significantly benefit future generations to come."
In February 2011, EMD Serono announced the completion of its Billerica research facility - a three-year construction project that included a $65 million expansion plan.
The 140,000 s/f research facility incorporates environmentally responsible design features throughout the offices and laboratory. The building's green features include high efficiency variable speed chillers; energy efficient cooling towers; high efficiency boilers; low flow fume hoods; low velocity/pressure drop, energy efficient air distribution systems; energy recovery systems on exhaust; low flow water system; and energy efficient lighting and controls. Natural light is maximized throughout the building with solar panels utilized to generate electrical power for the lobby area, along with a daylight monitoring system incorporated throughout the building to reduce electrical usage. In addition, more than 20% of the building contains recycled content, 95% of the building construction waste was recycled including brick and steel materials, and more than 50% of the wood is Forest Stewardship Council certified. It is estimated that the EMD Serono research facility utilizes 19% less energy and approximately 72% less water than a comparable conventional building.

EMD Serono worked with a number of Massachusetts businesses on this project. The architect was Ellenzweig, the construction manager was Jones Lang LaSalle, the mechanical engineers were BR+A and the civil engineers were BSC Group.
The Billerica facility is one of four Research & Development hubs within Merck Serono; other R&D centers are located in Germany, Switzerland and China. These state-of-the-art facilities foster enhanced collaboration and synergies to discover and develop innovative therapies.