PFPC Inc., a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC) and the nation's largest full- service mutual fund transfer agent, announced the official opening and dedication today of the J. Richard Carnall Center, the company's new corporate headquarters.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030619/PHTH001 )
Named for former PFPC Chief Executive Officer J. Richard Carnall, a 32-year PNC and PFPC veteran, the new corporate headquarters has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold level rating for outstanding achievement in sustainable design and construction, a first for a building in the state of Delaware. The certification is also a first in the U.S. financial services industry. Established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is a leading-edge system for design, construction, operation and certification of the world's `greenest' buildings. A green building is a building that is environmentally friendly, purposefully designed to reduce both the direct and indirect environmental consequences associated with its construction, occupancy, operation, maintenance and eventual decommissioning. PFPC's J. Richard Carnall Center's prestigious LEED rating was awarded by a USGBC committee consisting of LEED-accredited architects and engineers.
Located on the edge of Bellevue Park in Wilmington, the J. Richard Carnall Center is a 116,305 square foot, four-story building constructed on top of a primarily underground, four-story, 531-space parking garage. The site was deemed environmentally appropriate, as it is not prime agricultural land, wetlands, a natural habitat, or in a flood plain. Disruptions around the site were carefully limited and open space requirements were exceeded by 25 percent.
The building features the latest advances in environmentally-friendly construction, including heating and cooling systems that employ no CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) refrigerants, and building mechanisms that exceed ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) energy efficiency guidelines by 21 percent. The carpeting is made of 70 percent-recycled material and is itself 100 percent recyclable, while hard floor surfaces are finished marmoleum, a unique new product made from readily renewable natural ingredients, such as linseed oil and sawdust. Marmoleum also has antimicrobial properties that thwart the breeding of many microorganisms, including dust mites and certain bacteria strains. Roughly 99 percent of the trees cleared during the construction phase were recycled, and storm water is captured in large underground pipes that treat the water to remove impurities and slow its exit from the site, eliminating any negative impact to adjacent stream levels. The green philosophy also extended to the actual construction, as 47 percent of the building materials originated within a 500-mile radius, reducing pollution caused by long distance shipping, and 50 percent of those materials are recyclable.
"This is a truly historic moment for our employees, clients and community," said Tim Shack, president and chief executive officer of PFPC. "The J. Richard Carnall Center reaffirms our dedication to being the best we can be -- in our industry and in the state of Delaware. PFPC will continue to exceed client needs and expectations, while having a positive effect on the environment in the state of Delaware. Further, we are proud to have created an interactive and functional workspace for our high-tech workforce."
Indoor air quality is continually monitored via a building-wide CO2 sensor system, while fresh air is supplied via adjustable vents in a raised floor system. This permits 100% of the fresh air to flow by at occupants' level, which is not the case in conventional construction where airflow originates from ducts set in the ceiling. The `daylighting' design featuring more windows allows 90 percent of the occupants to have an outdoor view and also minimizes the need for electric light during daylight hours. The building also boasts bicycle racks, designated hybrid automobile parking with electric vehicle recharging stations and a designated bus stop on the property to encourage alternate means of transportation.
PFPC's J. Richard Carnall Center is one of several green buildings within PNC's portfolio. In September 2000, PNC opened the five-story, 650,000 square foot Firstside Center on a former brownfield site in Pittsburgh, PA. This riverfront office structure earned Silver LEED certification from the USGBC, and to date still stands as the largest LEED-certified building in the country. In addition, four of PNC's new retail branches recently constructed in New Jersey are awaiting LEED certification and all new branches, including ten planned in 2003, are set to be built `green.' Sustainable finish materials also are being used in office renovation projects throughout PNC. The opening of PFPC's J. Richard Carnall Center with its certified Gold LEED status furthers the PNC Corporation's commitment to understanding the needs, values and aspirations of customers, employees, communities and shareholders.
Providing a wide range of global fund services to the investment management industry, PFPC is the largest full-service mutual fund transfer agent and second largest provider of mutual fund accounting and administrative services in the United States. A member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., PFPC is also a leading provider of subaccounting and shareholder services, distribution, custody, securities lending, integrated banking transaction services, alternative investments services and advanced output solutions through print mail services. PFPC clients include some of the world's most successful financial services companies, including brokerage firms, pension and investment managers, insurance companies and banks. PFPC's affiliate, PFPC International Ltd., with offices in Dublin and County Wexford, Ireland and Luxembourg, has served the international funds community since 1993. For more information, please visit us at www.pfpc.com.
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., headquartered in Pittsburgh, is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services organizations, providing regional community banking; wholesale banking, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management; asset management and global fund services.
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030619/PHTH001
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 212-782-2840
SOURCE: PFPC Inc.
CONTACT: Jeanette Harrison-Sullivan, PFPC Inc., +1-302-791-1400 or
+1-508-871-9863, jean.harrison-sullivan@pfpc.com
Web site: http://www.pnc.com/
Web site: http://www.pfpc.com/
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/gh/cnoc/comp/701257.html
