First Capital Federal Credit Union Awarded Prestigious LEED® Green Building Certification

Tara Houser
First Capital FCU
1601 Kenneth Road
York, PA 17404-0746
(717) 767-5551 ext. 1106
(717) 991-0538

York, PA – First Capital Federal Credit Union announced today that it has been awarded LEED® GOLD Certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).  LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.  And, the facility is the first retail facility in York to receive Gold status.

Built by Henderson Construction Services of York, the one-story, 4,160-square-foot building, located at 2602 Course Road in York Township opened in August 2009.

“This facility is a great example of what a retail financial institution can do to have minimal adverse impact on the environment, said Stewart C. Cluck, Architect.  “It should be the model for other retail facilities to follow.”

First Capital achieved LEED GOLD Certification for its South York Branch because of its energy, lighting, water and material use as well as how it incorporates a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

“With each new LEED-certified building, we get one step closer to USGBC’s vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, First Capital Federal Credit Union is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement.”

LEED certification of First Capital’s South York Branch was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. Some of these features include:

• Roof Design: The building has a white roof to counteract “heat-island effect.” This also reflects heat from the sun and helps to lessen the cooling load of the air conditioning equipment.
• Water Efficiency: A rain water capture system from the roof filters and circulates the water to flush toilets, wash sidewalks and irrigate the landscape. By capturing and storing the water, about 80% of the normal flush water will be replaced by rainwater.
• Materials: Recycled content of construction materials was greater than 20% of the value of materials used in the whole building. Recycled content is steel, concrete, carpet and others.
• Indoor Air Quality: Only low-emitting carpets, paints, adhesives and sealants were used according to USGBC guidelines and the Green Seal council.
• Renewable: Rapidly renewable materials made up 2.5% of the total materials used.  Those materials include: wall coverings, cabinet substrates (wheatboard), linoleum flooring, and wool carpet.
• Local Sourcing: Regional Materials (source of raw material within 500 miles) used was greater than 20%.
• Indoor Environment:  Light controls monitor light levels and adjust levels based on available natural light.
• Daylighting: Daylight is provided in over 75% of spaces through location of windows and addition of “Solatube” skylights.
• Innovation: Twelve geothermal wells provide heat exchange through heat pumps and eliminate need for fossil fuel consumption and contribute to reduced utility costs.
• Transportation Efficiencies: There is reserved parking for fuel efficient vehicles.  Even better is our initiative to encourage bicycling with a secure bicycle rack, indoor bike storage and a shower for our employees who bike to work during the warm days of the year.

U.S. Green Building Council
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.  With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 167,000 LEED professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.  Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.

LEED
The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 100,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED rating systems, comprising over 8 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries.

By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.  USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation.  For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

First Capital Federal Credit Union
First Capital Federal Credit Union is a $139 million asset-size credit union with 19,000 members based in York, PA.  Founded in 1954 as S. Morgan Smith Credit Union, First Capital has merged and grown, and continues to work closely with more than 400 companies and organizations throughout York County and across the country.

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