Bayer’s Cell Therapy BioTech Facility in Berkeley Achieves LEED v4 Platinum Certification
Pharmaceutical giant Bayer contracted engineering, procurement and construction firm Fluor Corp. to build a 144,000-square-foot Cell Therapy Launch Facility that is perhaps the first industrial manufacturing site to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) v4 Platinum certification for energy efficiency in buildings.
The project was built on Bayer’s Biotech campus in Berkeley, California, was also named the 2025 Facility of the Year for Social Impact - Unmet Medical Needs by the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE).
This is the second new facility built by Fluor on Bayer’s Biotech campus in Berkeley. It featured 30,000 square feet of cleanroom space for improving cell therapy production towards neurological degenerative disorders, cardiovascular disease and other unmet medical needs.
The sustainability goal of the facility includes a nearly 53% energy cost savings using LED lighting, heat pump and rooftop solar installation. It also utilizes a 100% reduction in process water usable, high-efficiency plumbing fixtures and 65% use of recycled content installation.
"Fluor and Bayer collaborated to deliver Bayer's first fully electric pharmaceutical manufacturing plant, and we met an aggressive schedule to support client and patient needs," said Richard Meserole, President of Fluor’s Advanced Technologies & Life Sciences business. “Fluor secured LEED v4 Platinum Certification and ISPE Facility of the Year designation through effective collaboration with our trade partners, lean construction methods, and dedication to quality.”
LEED v4 Platinum certification is the highest level of recognition for sustainable building practices and indicates that a building meets the highest standards for sustainability. It is a certification program within the U.S. Green Building Council.
