Autodesk opens green-designed building in Waltham

(Kathryn Eident)

A metal heart, designed with Autodesk software, sits outside the company's new, East Coast headquarters in Waltham. The sculpture is part of an exhibit at the new facility.

By Kathryn Eident
Globe Correspondent

Autodesk, the makers of 2 and 3-dimensional green design and engineering software, will be hosting state officials for a tour of the company’s new, environmentally-friendly East Coast headquarters this Friday. The company hopes to work with state officials to design and build green buildings, said Paul Sullivan, spokesman for the company.

The newly renovated, three-storey, 65,000 square foot building is LEED-platinum certified, meeting the highest standards for environmentally-sound buildings from an independent evaluator, he said.

Builders used recycled materials for the walls, floors and exterior to ensure a smaller carbon footprint. The building is also highly energy efficient, with large windows for natural daylight, automatic faucets, and low-flush toilets that use wastewater from sinks, he said.

LEED certification standards also require building occupants to practice green habits, Sullivan said.

For instance, the company cafeteria serves only organically grown foods, and does not use disposable plates, cups and silverware. Employees are even encouraged to carpool, parking in specially-designated spots closer to the building’s entrance, he said.

“We’re walking the walk here; this is something Autodesk believes in,” Sullivan said. “Every building we build from now on will be LEED-platinum certified.”

The building, visible from Interstate 95 in Waltham, contains offices for up to 400 employees and houses the Boston Gallery, an exhibit featuring projects designed with Autodesk software. KlingStubbins, an architecture firm with offices in Cambridge, and Tocci, a construction company based in Woburn, designed and constructed the facility.

Autodesk, a Fortune 500 Company valued at $2 billion, is based in San Rafael, California. The Waltham facility will headquarter the company’s architecture, engineering and construction division.

The Boston Gallery will open to the public in the coming weeks.