Company receives highest LEED point total for all manufacturers in New York State

Skaneateles Falls, NY, April 2, 2012 – Welch Allyn, a leading global provider of frontline medical products and solutions, today announced its corporate headquarters in Skaneateles Falls, NY, has received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The company recently completed a four-year, $35 million expansion and renovation project at its State Street facility—home to over 1,200 employees. LEED is an internationally-recognized green building certification system providing benchmarks for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

"Welch Allyn is extremely proud to be the highest scoring LEED Gold certified manufacturer in New York State," said Julie Shimer, president and CEO. "This achievement demonstrates our commitment to the environment and sustainability. Since our company was founded by the Allyn family nearly a century ago, we have maintained our commitment to serving as stewards of the environment. We have reduced our carbon footprint, implemented energy- and water-efficient systems and created a space that is healthy and safe for our employees. We will continue on this journey not only with our infrastructure, but also as we develop products and solutions for the global healthcare community."

"Welch Allyn has raised the bar yet again for New York State–based manufacturers and manufacturers across the country as they continue their journey towards operational sustainability and environmental responsibility," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chairman of the USGBC. "Facilities that are well designed, like the new Welch Allyn global headquarters building, minimize resource depletion and waste production while improving the environment both inside and outside the building. This is quite an accomplishment for a nearly 100-year-old manufacturer."

Welch Allyn has developed a variety of initiatives and taken significant actions to establish company-wide awareness of the environment via employee-based programs while targeting opportunities that have a positive environmental impact. Even though the building's square footage has increased more than 55 percent, energy consumption has only increased by 8 percent and water usage has decreased by 25 percent.

Welch Allyn has taken several steps to reduce environmental impact including:

• Transplanting and preserving more than 100 mature trees
• Exceeding local zoning requirements for the amount of vegetated open space
• Using roofing materials with a high solar reflectance index to reduce demand on cooling systems
• Installing low-flow fixtures, waterless systems and low-maintenance landscaping to improve water efficiency
• Obtaining 35 percent of the building’s electricity from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy
• Significant incorporation of natural light via skylights and perimeter glass coupled with advanced control systems to automatically adjust high-efficiency lighting based on the amount of natural light available
• Recycling more than 80 percent of the nonhazardous construction debris and including recycled content in 20 percent of the building materials used
• Using low volatile organic compound (VOC) materials, adhesives, sealants, paints and coatings in conjunction with low-odor, low-emission and low-VOC cleaning products

About Welch Allyn
Founded in 1915 and headquartered in Skaneateles Falls, NY (USA), Welch Allyn is a leading global provider of medical diagnostic equipment and a complete range of digital and connected solutions. With 2,750 employees working in 26 different countries, Welch Allyn is a family-owned business that specializes in helping doctors, nurses and other frontline practitioners across the globe provide the best patient care by developing innovative products, breakthrough technologies, and cutting-edge solutions that help them see more patients, detect more conditions, and improve more lives. More information about Welch Allyn and its complete line of connected products and solutions may be found at www.welchallyn.com.

About the U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 79 local affiliates, nearly 16,000 member organizations, and more than 168,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. GDP from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.