Danfoss Drives is a division of Denmark based Danfoss, Inc. Larson & Darby Group worked closely with Danfoss to complete the overall Master Plan developed for this site in 2000 also by Larson & Darby Group. The LEED Silver certified additions to their North American corporate headquarters facility speak to their vision of being a significant player in the North American market and to their commitment to the environment.
The additions accommodate three major program components; a large testing lab space addition, office expansion shell, and a new training and conference facility.
The striking simplicity of the original structure, materials, and its clear organization as defined in the original Master Plan provided the blueprint for the expansion plans in support of the vision.
The following features manifest Danfoss’ desire to build a facility that is sensitive to its environment, is LEED certified, and expresses their corporate commitment:
Natural prairie landscaping
Maximized open space
White roofing intended to reduce the heat island effect
Use of precast fabricated by local precast manufacturers
High recycled content in interior finishes
Use of low VOC finishes
Use of glazing to provide daylight and views to employees
In the words of Danfoss president Chuck Manz, “We wanted our move to this location
to make a statement to our customers, our employees, our vendors, and the
northern Illinois community that we have made a commitment to each of them and
this builiding does just that.”