U.S. Bank has received LEED Gold certification for a new branch in Burnsville, Minn., making it one of the first American banks to receive such a certification, as well one of the few buildings in the state.
The bank incorporated a number of environmentally-friendly specifications in its construction, including drought resistant landscaping; low volatile organic compound emitting paints, sealants, adhesives and carpet; programmable thermostats and occupancy sensors; reflective "cool roof" roofing material, low-flow plumbing fixtures and increased insulation.
The bank also has an environmental sustainability policy that focuses on climate change, internal practices and overall stakeholder engagement. Constructing facilities to LEED specifications, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is part of U.S. Bank's overall environmental strategy.
Payment Cards Get Biosourced
Card issuers and other financial institutions looking to bring a more environmentally friendly bent to card payments may have another "green" tech option on the horizon, as digital security firm Gemalto is teaming with Deutsche Post DHL to implement new cards made from renewable materials. The POSTCARD GOGREEN cards can be used to pay for letters, packages and express deliveries. Biosourced cards have the same physical format and characteristics as other payment cards, but are made with renewable material derived from corn, sugarcane and potato starch. The material is easily recyclable and compostable and reduces the footprint of the production process.
