Business

April 6, 2008

Bank branch is showcase of green engineering

MALLORY VOUGH mvough@timesleader.com

PNC Bank is leading the way when it comes to green building with a total of 46 green branches and three green corporate branches. A local example is a branch at 960 Schechter Drive, Wilkes-Barre Township, near the Wachovia Arena.

Peter Danchak, president of PNC Bank’s Northeastern Pennsylvania region, commends the bank’s decision to build a “Green Branch.”

“It’s a quiet thing, but we’re very proud because we’re a leader among companies in the U.S.,” he said. “It’s good for the employees, the costumers and the environment.”

Two larger buildings currently under construction will be green. With 23 floors, Three PNC Plaza in downtown Pittsburgh will be the nation’s largest green building. It will be a multipurpose building, set for completion in 2009.

A new regional headquarters for the greater Washington D.C. region, only one block from the capitol, is also in the construction phase.

“We strive for (LEED) certification. Many of our buildings are either Gold or Silver certified,” said PNC spokesman Ed Kozmor.

All newly constructed PNC buildings since 2000 are green. Because of this and renovating using green strategies, PNC Bank was granted the trademark name “Green Branch,” Danchak said.

He feels being green has been good for business. “Operating costs can be decreased by 40 percent. We have seen reduced costs in gas and electric.”

The bank uses many green strategies from the floor to the ceiling. To save energy, heating and air conditioning systems are designed to use nearly half the electricity of conventional installations.

Recycled materials are heavily used. Metal panels on the roof, the steel structure of the building, the fabric on furniture and the carpet all are made from recycled material.

Entry way flooring is made of animal hair, which reduces dirt and dust tracked inside. The floor tiles contain crushed glass diverted from a landfill.

In the ceiling, tiles are made of recycled content and are 100 percent recyclable.

“It’s amazing what you can do with recycled materials,” Danchak said.

Approximately 70 percent of the construction waste also is recycled.

Certain paints and glues are used to decrease greenhouse gases. Plywood for the roof comes from managed forests that plant multiple trees for each one cut down. The cabinetry is made from wheatboard, a by-product of wheat pressed into panels.

Not only is the bank saving money, but the employees and customers also are benefiting. “It’s great for the employees. The clean air makes for a healthy environment and they are more productive. There has been a 50 percent higher retention and satisfaction rate among employees working in green branches than those working in a regular office,” Danchak said.

The public is taking notice as well. “Customers enjoy knowing they’re with a company that is environmentally conscious. More people are becoming mindful of the environment, so they are supporting companies that are environmentally aware as well,” Kozmor said. “The green branches have different atmospheres that are benefiting numerous things.”

Kozmor said PNC Bank has taken the lead in LEED certification. “We built green before it was fashionable to build green.”

Benefits of LEED Certification

Environmental Benefits:

Enhance and protect ecosystems and biodiversity

Improve air and water quality

Reduce solid waste

Conserve natural resources

Economic Benefits:

Reduce operating costs

Enhance asset value and profits

Improve employee productivity and satisfaction

Optimize life-cycle economic performance

Health and Community Benefits:

Improve air, thermal and acoustic environments

Enhance occupant comfort and health

Minimize strain on local infrastructure

Contribute to overall quality of life

Source: www.usgbc.org

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