Nokian's Spain test center earns platinum LEED rating

SANTA CRUZ DE LA ZARZA, Spain — The visitor center at Nokian Tyres' Spain Test Center has earned LEED v4 Platinum certification —the highest level — for green building leadership.

The solar-powered building is located at Nokian's 740-acre test center in Santa Cruz de la Zarza, a small town about an hours' drive south of Madrid.

The test center includes 10 test circuits and the visitor center. Inspectors highlighted the visitor center's innovation in design, energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality as key drivers of the high certification level, according to Nokian.

The company previously announced LEED v4 Gold and Silver certifications of its administration and production facilities in the US.

"I wish to thank our wonderful team, both in Spain and in Finland. The result of the team's work is this stunning, beautiful and unique building," Juha Pirhonen, director of technology projects at Nokian, said.

The entire test center has solar panels and 21% of the electricity will be used in the visitor-center building. Design innovations include sustainable wastewater management with stormwater used for irrigation and installation of low-flow water fixtures, which reduce water consumption.

Nokian also has preserved 62 acres of land for wildlife protection in the vicinity of the center, including a nesting house for hawks and owls and water elements for birds, which are surveyed during the next three years. Holm oaks and other trees are also planted on the site.

Nokian said it is working with local universities and other partners to cultivate and study guayule, a possible alternative raw material for eco-friendly tires. The plantation is managed by local farmers.