14 DAY TRIAL // Some of the employees at one of the largest online transactions companies will work in a new and improved building. According to the PayPal Blog, Scott Thompson, the PayPal president, along with with John Donahoe, eBay CEO and Chuck Reed, Mayor of San Jose, have inaugurated the new PayPal building, last week on 8th of May.
The inauguration ceremony is said to have marked an important environmental milestone for both PayPal and eBay Inc, as the building was completely designed according to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Gold standard. According to the official website, "LEED is third party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings". The LEED rating system recognizes those building owners who give a significant importance to what their buildings are going to be used for.
Among the new building features, some of the most important include energy and water conservation, recycled materials and indoor air quality. Lighting in PayPal's Green building features a system that lowers energy costs. The office space makes better use of the natural light, with the system dimming the artificial lights based on the amount of natural light. To further lower the energy bill, the roofing of all campus buildings sports a total of 3,300 solar panels, which are said to take 13 to 18 percent out of the company's power grid.
The PayPal employees are said to breathe better air when they are at work. Before putting in the air conditioning in the new building, ventilation and heating were flushed, thus creating an environment freer of construction pollutants. Also, the internal furniture, paint, sealants and carpet are said to be low on volatile organic compounds. The PayPal building should be considered a model for all other respectable companies.