Architect reduces energy costs for PNC Bank

on Monday,November 29,2010 21:11

As companies begin to see the negative effects of global warming, more are turning to architects to create more sustainable designs. Architect Brad Pease is one of many designers who was recently approached to develop energy-efficient buildings.

Pease received a seemingly impossible request from PNC Bank, which wanted 100 green branches to be created over the course of the next few years. The company also wanted each building to be approved by the Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design group (LEED), which was developed by the U.S. Green Building council, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"The typical starting point for a green building is to look at the site: Where does the sun come from? Where does the wind come from?" Pease told the news source.

Ninety-seven branches later, Pease met the demands of PNC Bank. Using one blueprint, Pease was able to replicate the sustainable structures with little issue. Industry experts say this may influence other companies to do the same in the future. Each new PNC Bank building uses 35 percent less energy and 28 percent less water than non-sustainable branches.

Architect jobs are predicted to grow by 16 percent over the next eight years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.