NEENAH PAPER GOES SOLO, TAKES THE 'LEED'

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Corporate Responsibility

Science & Technology

Syndication Partners

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Interior design, architecture, environmental, building/construction

NEENAH PAPER GOES SOLO, TAKES THE 'LEED'

New Headquarters Is One of Many Environmentally Friendly Aspects

of the Fine Paper Company

ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA, Sep. 8 -/E-Wire/-- Neenah Paper, one of the first environmentally friendly mills, has taken corporate responsibility to the next level by using the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating SystemÂ® as a guide to designing its new headquarters. Although the offices were not eligible to be certified under the LEED-NC rating system (which applies to new construction and major renovations), the environmental leader chose a sustainable design and ecologically responsible materials. Often imitated by its competitors, Neenah has taken many progressive actions over the years, including offering the following:

* Conversion of its wastewater sludge to beneficial uses such as steam, electricity and glass aggregate, which helps, in part, to preserve 10 acres of green space annually.

* Papers certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and/or Green Seal.

* Papers made from 100 percent post-consumer fiber, produced without the use of chlorine or new tree fiber.

* An Environmental Savings Account, an online tool to calculate the environmental savings of buying recycled papers in terms of trees, water and energy consumed, and greenhouse gases emitted.

* As Neenah Paper approached its spinoff from Kimberly-Clark Corporation in 2004, key members of the company also began thinking about who Neenah Paper was and how they wanted to do business. The company's papers have been thought of as the premium offerings for many years, and the spinoff presented the perfect opportunity to further set the company apart from its competition.

"We wanted to capture the unparalleled quality and spirit of Neenah, its employees and its premium papers in our daily surroundings," said Tom Wright, Director of Advertising and Design for the company, who also spearheaded the office's interior design. "The decision to become an independent company presented us with an opportunity to rebrand ourselves as a new Neenah Paper. And, environmental responsibility was a must."

Neenah selected Atlanta-based corporate interior design firm, idea

span, which is responsible for developing stellar workplaces for such clients as Porsche Cars North America and Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. The idea

span team began with an envisioning session with Neenah Paper to explore the business issues that were important to the new company. The purpose was to reveal who the client was, how they were changing and how they saw themselves in the future. This information enabled idea

span to create a workplace that effectively supported and represented the culture of the new Neenah Paper.

Design elements were incorporated into the space to subtly reflect the characteristics of the company's papers while also maximizing the working atmosphere for employees. For example, color, pattern and texture vary, depending on where you are in the office. This gives a sense of variety, counterpoint and interest to the space â not unlike the qualities inherent in premium papers from Neenah. This subtle diversity provides an underlying energy to the workplace. Additionally, for spatial interest, walls, interior glass and art panels are strategically placed to create a layering effect. To create perspective depth, the circulation path on the floor bends as one travels down the corridor.

"Workplace, when designed well, can provide employees a very effective environment. They can see themselves working differently in the new space," says Charles Warren, Design Principal for the firm. "The space can be a really strong player in building pride and reinforcing culture."

Neenah Paper's headquarters in Alpharetta, Ga., overlook lush treetops, the city of Atlanta, Stone Mountain and the famous Smoky Mountains in the distance. The design takes advantage of the light and the spectacular view. This serves as another nod to Neenah's place as environmental stewards and contributes to an open, natural feeling. The colors and textures within the space are also enhanced by the abundant natural light and take on a warm glow. The natural and indirect lighting help to reduce the amount of energy consumed as well.

The paint used on the walls has low emissivity and does not emit harmful vapors. The floors are made of bamboo wood, a replenishable material, and are covered in recycled and recyclable carpet. Finally, the wall panels in the public areas of the offices are made of MDF (medium density fiber) material that is also made from environmentally friendly materials, including the adhesives.

Rather than overtly displaying samples and images of CLASSIC CRESTÂ® Papers or the EAMESTM Paper Collection, the interior design subliminally communicates the quality, texture and scale of the company's papers. The color scheme was strategically kept neutral with a few splashes of color, so that it would continue to reflect the company's core values even when its products changed over time.

"Now that Neenah is a stand-alone company, it gives us the opportunity to be fresh thinkers, enhance our premium positioning and be environmentally responsible," said Wright. "We wanted to build a workspace that reflected us as a unique type of paper company with new thinking and ideas. I'm ecstatic that we've done that." About Neenah Paper

Established in 1873, Neenah Paper is a leading manufacturer of premium uncoated writing, text and cover papers marketed under the CLASSICÂ®, ENVIRONMENTÂ®, UV/ULTRAÂ® II, NEENAHÂ® and other fine brand names. For more information, call 1-[REDACTED-PHONE] and press "5" or visit the web site at www.neenahpaper.com.

Kapnek Communications, Inc.

http://www.neenahpaper.com

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