CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The new Central Atlantic regional office of American Honda Finance Corp. has been tapped with LEED Gold certification, making it Honda Finance's second LEED-certified facility and the 12th facility built and operated by Honda in North America to earn this citation.

No other automaker has more, officials noted.

This Charlotte, N.C. office was given the recognition by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The facility boasts a wide array of sustainable features. Among them are low mercury lamps, which can cut lighting power by 40 percent.

Additionally, Dyson Airblade hand dryers installed in the facility can slice carbon footprint 70 percent as compared to using paper towels. Moreover, 90 percent of the equipment there adheres to the Environmental Protection Administration's Energy Star requirements.

There is also a "green cleaning" program at the facility that aims to cut back on exposure to chemical contaminants that would potentially damage air quality. In building the facility, non-landfill alternatives were found for more than four-fifths of construction debris, representing 47 tons.

"As part of the Honda family of companies, our commitment is not only to create more fuel efficient vehicles, but to reduce the environmental impact of our operations," said Dean Hardesty, Central Atlantic regional manager of American Honda Finance. "We look forward to serving our Honda and Acura customers in this region from this new green facility."

Emily Scofield, executive director of the Charlotte Region chapter of
the USGBC, said: "We welcome AHFC to the Ballantyne Corporate Park and celebrate their LEED Gold accomplishment. Now and well into the future, AHFC, their employees and our community will benefit from the environmental sustainability features incorporated into the facility and surrounding landscape."