Rooftop garden and large atrium to let in sunlight are part of the new facility's 'green' design

Intel's campus in Haifa, Israel, which includes a data center, has achieved LEED Gold certification by the US Green Building Council, becoming the first building in the country to receive the council's recognition for sustainable design.

The Intel Design Center 9, which was built in place of a former parking lot, is scheduled for opening in June.

"Intel is committed to incorporating principles of sustainability into the construction of new facilities as well as making strategic improvements to our existing locations so that they may meet the highest standards," Intel's Manufacturing and Supply Chain SVP Brian Krzanich said in a statement.

"By assigning equal priorities to economic, social and environmental goals, IDC 9 has managed to provide Intel with economic advantages while reducing environmental impact."

Sustainability attributes of the new facility's design include the use of Intel Xeon processors in servers deployed at the data center, which the chip maker says are highly energy efficient.

Another sustainable characteristic is an automated control system for lighting in the building, which maximizes use of natural light to illuminate the occupied parts of the facility.

The building also has a rooftop garden, which enhances insulation, and has individually controlled lighting and air-conditioning systems.

IDC 9 uses heat generated by IT equipment in the data center and by the air conditioners for comfort heating and monitoring system continuously measures CO2 concentration inside office space.

The chip-maker's other green-building endeavors include a LEED certification that was recently achieved by its factory and office building in Kulim, Malaysia, and its Ocotillo campus in Chandler, Ariz., whose LEED certification is pending.