LONGVIEW, Wash.-Fibre FCU's new operations center here is contributing locally-by helping to revitalize a tired downtown-and nationally, by having used sustainable and environmentally friendly building practices.
The result: a Credit Union Journal Best Practice Award for its new facility.
According to management and the design/build company that oversaw construction, the new operations center combines environmental sensitivity with allowances for decades of future growth. Larry Hoff, Fibre FCU's CEO, said it should help revitalize the aging downtown in this city, which sits on the Columbia River 35 miles north of the Vancouver, Wash./Portland, Ore., metropolitan area.
"There was a lot of thought process that went into designing the operations center," Hoff said. "We knew being in the core area of the city would be good for the city, and we would be accessible to our members."
The Pacific Northwest has a well-earned reputation for being "green," and not just because of its plentiful precipitation. The region has been ahead of the environmentally conscious trend for years, and the new operations center was intended from the start to be as eco-friendly as possible. Green design strategies include: a 90% daylight approach during construction, collaborative open planning, locally sourced sustainable materials, and environmentally friendly finishes. The building features a sophisticated HVAC system to maximize indoor air quality, and the exterior has water-efficient, low-maintenance landscaping.
The eye on the environment even extended to the layout of the building and its parking lot. "Sustainable planning" yielded a phased, high-density campus designed to minimize employee travel and the project's carbon footprint. According to Seattle-based design/build firm Momentum, legacy environmental issues were resolved and sustainable reuse of the site's existing resources, such as recycled concrete and recycled disposal of demolition debris, were keys to the strategy.
"Being green played a large role," recalled Hoff. "We stopped short of applying for LEED certification, but certainly all of our design elements and construction processes were done with the environment in mind."
LEED, for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is described by the U.S. Green Building Council as a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. The USGBC certifies sustainable construction and is dedicated to expanding green building practices and education.
Jim Haack, president of Momentum, which has built credit union facilities in several states, told Credit Union Journal the design process for Fibre's operations center began with the LEED certification checklist, "but we quickly realized a lot of those things we were going to do anyway. The yardstick the credit union used to measure was the environment inside, air quality, and convenience for employees and members."
Planning For Future Growth
The $600-million credit union currently serves 63,000 members and has a community charter for Cowlitz County. Hoff said the former downtown branch was overwhelmed by foot traffic and the need for more room for operational staff.
"In our previous space we used the last broom closet as an office," he quipped. "To better serve our members, we needed to expand. The new office is more member friendly, and we can serve more members because the building is laid out well. We had a huge amount of member traffic in our old facility, but by moving back-office operations across the street we were able to enhance member service at our main branch.
"We are beginning the process of remodeling the old space into a first-class facility," he added.
Planning for the new operations center began near the end of 2005, with identification of the property in March 2006. Hoff said Fibre looked in several locations before eventually discovering a solution across the street from its location. "There were a couple of abandoned warehouses, so we would be dramatically beautifying the area," he said.
Construction began with demolition of the warehouses in early 2007. Fibre moved its back-office operations to the new center in July 2008.
The three-story building is 40,000 square feet. Fibre occupies the top two floors and leases out the bottom floor to a real estate company and a deli.
Assessed Hoff: "This is a 20- to 30-year building for us. Our board, along with Momentum, really helped us look forward and look beyond our needs for two years or 10 years. In 10 years, the cost of building something like this will be much more."
Happiness Is: Elbow Room!
Hoff is more than pleased with the new center, which he says meets all the priorities that were voiced during planning: more room for employees, more room for members and a big step toward bringing business back to downtown.
"The interesting thing about this development is, it just takes one organization or institution to invest in an area. We think, and the city thinks, it will be a big shot in the arm for the core area. It is a traditional downtown area for a population center of 40,000. As in all cities, downtown for several years gave way to suburban malls and became neglected. Our city is working hard to revitalize downtown, and with us and others investing in downtown, it should pay dividends."
Hoff's favorite space in the new center is the training room. He said Fibre not only has the space to have full department meetings or planning sessions, the training room improves the working environment.
"Our staff is very happy," he said. "I am a firm believer in that employees who are happy to come to work smile more, and those smiles translate to better member service-even on the phone. Our employees are ecstatic about the new building and it gives a big return back to our members in positive outlook. And, people are proud of having a showpiece building downtown.
Momentum's Haack praised Fibre for providing a dream job.
"The guys at the job site told me we couldn't mail order a better client," he declared. "Management and the board were always very clear about the objectives from a community standpoint, and about being the stewards of their members' money. All the subcontractors and suppliers were vetted with the credit union's assistance. It is a two-year process, which can have its ups and downs, but communication was excellent.
"Fibre really deserves this award, because it is doing an enormous amount of good for the community," Haack added.
For info: www.fibrecu.com; www.momentumbuilds.com.
BEST PRACTICES
Fibre FCU, Longview, Wash.
Category: Facilities
Provider: Momentum
