Western Extralite, a Kansas City-based electrical and voice/data product distributor, is moving its Lawrence operations into a new green-friendly building at 3225 Ousdahl Road.

With the move, the company is seeking to be the first business in Lawrence to become LEED certified, an international certification developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in Washington, D.C., that recognizes companies meeting environmentally friendly standards.

Mike Higgins, regional vice president, said the company expects its new 20,000-square-foot building to match the energy costs of the previous 12,000-square-foot facility at 1811 W. 31st St., which is currently for sale or lease.

Higgins said that the new features are consistent with the company’s business philosophy.

“We walk the talk. Our building is a showcase for energy savings solutions, which allows us to educate customers about the products we offer that can help them replicate our energy savings,” Higgins said, adding that the LEED certification process is expected to take two months to complete.

During construction, the company also recycled 109 tons of construction materials instead of sending the materials to a landfill.

Among the green-friendly features at the new facility are a parking lot with reflective materials and outdoor fluorescent light poles.

The company will have a grand opening of the new building at 11 a.m. today. The event is free to the public.