PNC Bank Extends Leadership in Eco-Friendly Development with Trademark of "Green Branch(R)" Term

Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) November 13, 2007

The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has granted a trademark for the term "Green Branch®" to The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC), which has more certified, environmentally friendly buildings than any other company on earth.

"The trademark is affirmation of PNC's leadership in 'green' business practices during the past decade," said Gary Saulson, director, corporate real estate, PNC. "Our commitment to significantly reduce our impact on the environment has enabled us to lower costs, increase efficiency and productivity as well as enhance the communities where our customers and employees live, work and play."

PNC, honored in Working Mother magazine's November issue as one of the nation's "2007 Best Green Companies," is a nationally recognized leader in environmental sustainability. The firm has more buildings (42) certified by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) than any other company - regardless of industry. This includes:

• Green Branch® locations: 40 environmentally friendly bank branches across six states. This includes 15 branches recently granted simultaneous Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the USGBC. The first location opened in 2002, when PNC was the first U.S. bank to design and build green branches, which range in size from 3,200-3,600 square feet.
• PNC Firstside Center: 24/7 bank operations center in downtown Pittsburgh with 1,500 employees. When it opened in 2000, it was the largest, LEED-certified green building in the world at 650,000 square feet (the equivalent of 12 football fields).
• PFPC Headquarters: J. Richard Carnall Center in Wilmington, Del., headquarters of PNC's mutual fund processing division, opened in 2002 as the financial services industry's first Gold level, LEED-certified green building.
• Future Projects: Besides future branch locations, LEED certification will be pursued for two major buildings in development: Three PNC Plaza in downtown Pittsburgh is scheduled to open in 2009 as the nation's largest green, "mixed-use" building (23 floors) with offices, retail, a hotel and condominiums; and the new regional headquarters for PNC's Greater Washington region to open in 2010, about one block from the White House.

"Consumers want to do business with socially responsible companies and PNC is leading the way in the banking industry," said Neil Hall, head of retail distribution, PNC Bank. "We are combining environmental building practices with innovative products and services to help our customers achieve their goals."

A main reason for the federal patent office's approval of PNC's trademark application is that financial and banking services are not generally associated with environmentally friendly or ecologically efficient characteristics.

"Our green efforts are completely consistent with our culture of continuous improvement," Hall said. "As with other aspects of our business, if there is a better way to do things, we want to find a way and implement it."
Building the Green Way

Based in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Green Building Council is the nation's leading coalition of corporations, builders, federal and local agencies working together to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. The USGBC awards LEED certification based on points for construction and design.

Saulson, a winner of the USGBC's Leadership Award, said features of PNC's Green Branch® locations include:

• Recycling: More than 50 percent of each branch, including carpet and furniture fabric, is made from recycled or "green" materials. For example, cabinetry and office doors are made of wheat board, a byproduct of wheat processing.
• Energy & Water Efficiency: Energy usage is reduced 50 percent or more compared to a traditional branch due to high-efficiency systems and insulation along with maximum use of natural light, which also provides a more open and airy space for customers and employees. Water usage is reduced by 6,200 gallons a year.
• Landfill/Waste Reduction: Construction waste, such as wood, steel and cardboard, is recycled or salvaged, reducing landfill waste by 150 tons per branch. Non-chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants are used in the cooling system to protect the ozone.
• Customer Features: The contemporary design also includes a concierge desk with an employee to guide customers, minimum of four teller stations and drive-thru, Internet Café, coffee bar and plasma screens with business-related news and information.

PNC Bank is a member of the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. PNC is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services organizations providing consumer and business banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management; asset management; and global fund services.

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