SAS going ‘green’ with new building, related projects at headquarters in Cary

Updated October 1, 2008

SAS going ‘green’ with new building, related projects at headquarters in Cary

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Cary, N.C. —

A new 280,000-square-foot building that SAS plans at its Cary headquarters will feature environmentally friendly technology as part of the firm’s green technology strategy.

SAS, which also is building a five-acre solar farm that will sell energy into the public electric grid, will meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, standards in the structure. It will be called Building C and will house a new executive briefing center as well as 690 offices, the company said.

The world’s largest privately held software company said the building will reduce water and energy consumption and will include recycled materials. Planning for the structure began in 2005.

“Now is the time to do it,” said SAS spokesperson Dave Thomas. “We are growing, with more than $2 billion in revenue a year (and) customers all over the world, and we have more people than ever coming to the campus.”

Site preparation began Tuesday. The building will be one of the largest on the SAS campus, where more than 4,000 of the firm's 10,000 employees work. SAS would not disclose the price of the structure.

“Hosting both existing and prospective customers at SAS world headquarters is an important and increasingly in-demand part of doing business,” said Chief Marketing Officer Jim Davis. “Ensuring that these events are positive experiences for our guests is vital in defining the customers’ image of the company and its products.”

In addition to the solar farm, SAS said it would install hot-water systems powered by solar on existing buildings.

SAS announced a contract with Progress Energy to build the solar farm. SAS will sell the energy to Progress.

The solar grid will generate 1.7 million kilowatt-hours of power per year, or enough to power more than 100 homes. It is expected to be finished by year’s end.