Platinum Banking

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Wells Fargo & Co. announced its most recent addition to the Charlotte skyline, the Duke Energy Center, has earned LEED Platinum certifications for Core and Shell.

 

The $880 million building is the first and only LEED Core and Shell commercial office to require all tenants to pursue LEED for Commercial Interiors certification, as well as the first and only LEED Core and Shell Platinum project in North Carolina, according to reports.

 

"Wells Fargo has made a significant commitment to the environment and the health, comfort and well-being of its employees and customers by achieving the highest level of certification, LEED Platinum, for its Duke Energy Center," says Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of U.S. Green Building Council.

 

For the building to qualify for LEED Platinum, Wells Fargo and its predecessor, Wachovia, which began building the tower in 2006, implemented green integrated strategies and guidelines set forth by the USGBC throughout the entire lifespan of the building.

 

Batson-Cook Construction of West Point, Ga., constructed the 48-story, 1.5 million-square-foot building, and TVS-design of Atlanta served as architect.

 

The building designed with a 350-seat auditorium and a number of green features, including a roof planted with native and adaptive vegetation to mitigate storm-water runoff.

 

The building saves approximately 30 million gallons of water per year, according to reports, with a combination of rainwater collection, groundwater purification and efficient fixtures. The center is 22 percent more energy efficient than an office tower of comparable size, saving approximately 5 million kilowatt hours per year through the use of daylight harvesting blinds that direct light into the building, lighting controls that respond to daylight, and high-performance glazing on exterior windows.

 

The building was built on a brownfield site and approximately 93 percent of construction waste was diverted from landfills during construction. Builders excavated, crushed, and reused about 350,000 cubic yards of rock from the site for highway construction. More than 34 percent of the materials used in construction were harvested or extracted and manufactured within a 50-mile radius of the jobsite.

 

The building encourages alternative transportation use through secure bicycle racks, on site showers and changing rooms, and a close location to public transportation. Preferred parking is provided for low-emission vehicles.  

 

The building is Wells Fargo’s first LEED Platinum facility. In addition, Wells Fargo’s new construction retail banking stores are LEED pre-certified and an effort is under way to upgrade existing retail banking stores to meet LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance standards.