'Green' CU Headquarters Saves Green

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Kern Schools FCU’s year-old headquarters is Kern County’s first building to become officially ‘green’. The environmentally-friendly building was certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, as ‘green’ for a number of aids that help minimize environmental impact, reduce energy consumption and ensure a safe environment for employees. Among them are: limited artificial lighting; large windows for natural light; showers and bike racks to encourage employees to bike to work; a super-efficient duct system that performs 1% leakage; and landscaping and irrigation that use 50% less water. Managers of the twin three-story buildings, opened in December 2005, say it has achieved a 50% reduction in energy consumption in the first year. Cost for the 70,000 square-foot headquarters project was $27 million.