Wells Gets LEED Pre-Certification For Banks

July 24, 2008

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Wells Fargo says its new banking stores have been pre-certified LEEDSilver by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The stores will use about 20 percent less energy and 40 percent less water than conventional buildings of the same type.

In addition, 20 percent of building materials are composed of both post- and pre-consumer recycled content, and 75 percent of wood-based materials are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as coming from forests and factories that are managed in an environmentally responsible way with all wood domestically harvested.

Retailers have been working with the USGBC since mid-2006 to test-pilot a new bulk certification program.

In May, three CitiFinancial branches in Austin, Texas, Flint, Mich., and Warrington, Penn., became the first Citi branches to be pre-certified in the pilot program, and 27 other CitiFinancial and Citibank branches were designed with the same features and are in the process of pursuing LEED certification.

Earlier this month, Office Depot opened its first LEED pre-certified store in Austin, TX.

Wells recently joined the EPA’s Climate Leaders program, pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its operations, and also adopted the Carbon Principles, guidelines for banks to evaluate and address climate change risks in the financing of electric power projects and companies.

Wells is also a leader on the EPA’s list of green power purchasers.

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