Bank of America Opens Green Branch

Bank of America has opened a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified banking center as part of a $20 billion environmental commitment.

Located in Adelanto, Calif., the branch was designed to achieve Platinum certification, the highest standard in the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED program.

More than 20 percent of the construction materials used contain recycled content, including insulation made from old blue jeans and counters made from wheat byproducts.

Other green building features include low water landscaping and low flush plumbing to reduce water usage and the use of solar panels on the roof, which are enough to generate 60 percent of the site’s energy needs.

The banking center opened to customers Dec. 12, 2007, was designed by Gensler. It took approximately six months to build. A second banking center, designed to meet LEED Gold certification standards, is scheduled to open mid-2008 in Los Angeles.

More information is available at www.bankofamerica.com.