The Jim Beam American Stillhouse Receives LEED Gold Certification

CLERMONT, Ky., Sept. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jim Beam American Stillhouse announced today that it has received LEED® Gold certification. Established by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. The Jim Beam American Stillhouse is situated on the grounds of Jim Beam's flagship distillery in Clermont, Ky., and demonstrates leadership, innovation, environmental stewardship and social responsibility in all of its practices.

"As a company, Beam is committed to sustainable operating practices that minimize our carbon footprint," said Steve Lutes, VP Technical Services. "We work, company-wide, to raise the bar for sustainability efforts and are proud of the strides we have made towards positively impacting the environment. In addition to building one of the best visitor experiences within the industry, we did so in an environmentally friendly manner."  

To spearhead these efforts, Beam established a dedicated Environmental Management Committee to oversee improvement of its systems and processes worldwide. After more than two centuries in the business that largely relies on the land, especially Kentucky water to craft its top-selling whiskey, Beam takes a meticulous approach to protect the environment. As such, Beam focuses on a handful of sustainability tenets including: water preservation, energy conservation and recycling.

"The Jim Beam American Stillhouse's LEED certification demonstrates the company's dedication to green building leadership," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "USGBC's mission challenges businesses to move faster and reach further than ever before, and Beam serves as an exemplary example with just how much we can accomplish to preserve the environment."

The LEED Gold certification was based on several green design and construction features that directly impact the distillery grounds, such as energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies.  As part of its environmental commitment, the construction of the Jim Beam American Stillhouse:  

• Used 25 percent recycled materials;
• Achieves 50 percent annual water savings due to the low-flow fixtures, faucets and flush valves in the American Stillhouse;
• Has 100 percent controlled lighting in its facilities to save energy; and
• Diverted 79 percent of its construction waste from landfills.

Similar efforts are made daily at all Beam facilities worldwide.

The Jim Beam American Stillhouse
Nestled in the rolling foothills of Kentucky and steeped in rich 218-year history, the Jim Beam American Stillhouse construction honored that history during development and construction. From a welcome desk crafted from repurposed Cypress wood to concrete made with a high volume of fly ash from coal fired boilers to the use of the wooden entrance door and cast iron exterior staircase that were original to the Jim Beam distillery, the company's overall commitment to natural resource conservation can be seen across multiple touch points along the tour. Even 100 percent of the white oak barrels used to age Jim Beam Bourbon are repurposed for everything from other distilled spirits to wood products.

For more information about Beam's environmental and sustainability practices, visit www.BeamGlobal.com. To learn more about the Jim Beam American Stillhouse, visit www.AmericanStillhouse.com.

About Beam Inc.
As one of the world's leading premium spirits companies, Beam is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World.  Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including Jim Beam Bourbon, Maker's Mark Bourbon, Sauza Tequila, Pinnacle Vodka, Canadian Club Whisky, Courvoisier Cognac, Teacher's Scotch Whisky, Skinnygirl Cocktails, Cruzan Rum, Hornitos Tequila, Knob Creek Bourbon, Laphroaig Scotch Whisky, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, Larios Gin, Whisky DYC and DeKuyper Cordials.  Beam is focused on delivering superior performance with its unique combination of scale with agility and a strategy of Creating Famous Brands, Building Winning Markets and Fueling Our Growth. Beam and its 3,400 passionate associates worldwide generated 2012 sales of $2.5 billion (excluding excise taxes), volume of 38 million 9-liter equivalent cases and some of the industry's fastest growing innovations. 

Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BEAM and is included in the S&P 500 Index and the MSCI World Index.  For more information on Beam, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.

About the U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on Twitter and Facebook.

About LEED
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction, maintenance and operations of green buildings. Every day, more than 1.5 million square feet (140,000 square meters) of space is certified using LEED.  Nearly 54,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising 9.7 billion square feet (905,812,824 square meters) of construction space in more than 140 countries and territories. In addition, close to 40,000 residential units have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with more than 100,000 more homes registered. Learn more at usgbc.org/leed and review the Foundations of LEED development process.

SOURCE Beam Inc.