Standards & Compliance Briefing: Nitric Acid Extraction, LEED, ISO 50001

ASTM has proposed ASTM WK42045, Practice for Nitric Acid-Extraction of Elements from Ores and Related Metallurgical Materials Using Closed Vessel Microwave Heating, a standard to protect water quality from mining and metals processing operations. Charles Bucknam, senior consultant of analytical development at Newmont Metallurgical Technologies, said metals dissolution can affect the environment during mining, processing, stockpiling and disposal of wastes.

Real estate analytics company CoStar Group has achieved LEED Platinum for Commercial Interiors for the remodel of its headquarters at 1331 L Street, NW in Washington, DC. The renovation includes Greenguard-certified workstations and offices, electric vehicle charging stations, LED light fixtures and a roof garden.

Recycling and waste management company MarBorg Industries has won LEED Platinum certification for Existing Buildings for its headquarters and construction-and-demolition facility in Santa Barbara, Calif. Over two years, the facility cut water use by 40 percent, diverted 100 percent of landscape and 86 percent of landfill waste, and moved to exclusive use of Green Seal-certified cleaning chemicals and paper products. 

Chemical manufacturer Virox Technologies has achieved LEED Silver certification for its 46,000 sq ft Oakville, Ontario headquarters, including offices, a research and development laboratory, and a manufacturing and warehousing facility. The company performed lighting upgrades and implemented a single-stream recycling program for corrugate, plastic bottles, shrink wrap and paper.

UK vehicle management company Ogilvie Fleet has achieved ISO 14001 environmental management and ISO 9001 quality management certification. Business support manager Andy Stephen said the standards are a frequent requirement of the tender process, especially from larger private sector fleets, Fleet News reports.

Ukrainian metals company Zaporizhstal Integrated Iron and Steel Works JSC has achieved ISO 50001 energy management system certification. TUF ZUD Ukraine carried out the audit.

The 124,547-square-foot Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University in North Carolina has received LEED Silver certification. The university expects the building’s energy efficiency to save $4.4 million over 20 years, compared to similarly sized buildings on campus.

West Village, the newest residence hall at Rhodes College in Memphis, has won LEED Silver certification. The hall opened in August, Memphis Daily News reports.