Cleaning Products Company to Pioneer Green Factory Design

CHICAGO — Method, an environmentally friendly cleaning products company headquartered in San Francisco, recently unveiled renderings for the company’s upcoming LEED Platinum manufacturing facility.

William McDonough + Partners, headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., designed the new facility, and construction will be headed by Chicago-based Summit Design + Build. This will be the first U.S.-based manufacturing plant for the company.

Located on a brownfield site in the Pullman Park neighborhood in south Chicago, the 150,000-square-foot factory is set to use clean energy, water and materials.

"So often, in the first industrial revolution, factories were dirty," said William McDonough, founder of William McDonough + Partners. "We have these images of factories as gritty buildings with smokestacks — facilities that no families would want in or near their neighborhoods. Method is dedicated to clean in as many ways as possible. This factory is a clean factory. The energy will be clean. The production will be clean.”

Given that approximately 75 percent of Method’s products have received gold level Cradle to Cradle certification, partnering with William McDonough on the design of this factory was a natural choice that reinforces the corporate agenda of sustainable economic growth, according to the company.

The factory is designed to run entirely on renewable energy. Tree-like solar photovoltaic structures will generate energy and provide shade for cars while solar thermal panels will provide hot water for factory processes. The project will also use Cradle to Cradle certified protocol in construction.

“Method’s new manufacturing home is a clean home using clean energy, water and materials to create innovative household products,” McDonough said. “The manifestation of industrial hygiene at this scale is beneficial to communities; it provides jobs and it is embodied by a facility that is a delightful neighbor — your kids can play safely here. Entrepreneurial companies like Method are modeling a new, clean industrial model for our country.”

The factory will feature a transparent south wall to flood the facility with natural daylight and provide views to the inner workings of the sustainable factory. Chicago city officials have welcomed the new facility, which was formerly a lumberyard.

"The City of Chicago continues to attract companies looking to access our highly skilled workforce, transportation system and diverse business climate," said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, in a statement. "Method choosing to build their state-of the-art manufacturing facility in Chicago’s historic Pullman neighborhood is a major economic investment for the south side of the city. Method has made a significant commitment to corporate responsibility and sustainability, and I am proud they will open their doors in Chicago."

The company will facilitate public tours to educate visitors on the factory’s green features and sustainable mission. The project hopes to connect with the community and has placed emphasis on pedestrian connectivity and proximity to mass transit options.

"The opportunity to build our first manufacturing plant in Chicago marks a milestone in Method’s journey of aligning our interests as a business with the interests of society and the environment," said Adam Lowry, co-founder and chief greens keeper of Method. "The Pullman neighborhood of Chicago not only has a rich industrial heritage that serves as a fitting backdrop to an inspiring new model for urban renewal and sustainable manufacturing, but there is a strong spirit and work ethic among this community."

The new Methods factory will open in early 2015.