CHALFONT, Pa. — Merck Sharp & Dohme Federal Credit Union is going green with its new Harleysville branch.
The credit union has recently broken ground on a new 2,700-square-foot branch, which will be leadership in energy and environmental design-certified.
The building project will meet the highest green building and performance measures including energy and water efficiency, indoor air quality and material usage.
The branch will offer a complete line of financial services including a drive-through and ATM.
The facility is slated to be completed in the spring of 2009.

Design Build Concepts Wins

ATLANTA — The Southeast Chapter of the Design Build Institute of America has awarded facilities design-build firm Design Build Concepts the 2008 Best Project Under $5 Million for its work on the Alpharetta branch of Georgia's Own Credit Union.
Each year the Southeast Chapter of the Design Build Institute of America recognizes projects that represent the best-of-show that the design-build industry has to offer. To be considered for a design-build award, projects must demonstrate successful application of design-build principles while completing projects on-time and on-budget, with no litigation.
"The project submitted by Design Build Concepts exemplifies the principles of interdisciplinary teamwork, innovation and problem solving that characterize design-build delivery," said Jim Di Dia, vice president at Jones Lang LaSalle Americas Inc. and chairman of the DBIA awards program. "The Georgia's Own Credit Union project provides an outstanding example of design-build delivery of a financial sector project."
The new branch design showcased the progressive brand image while providing an environmentally friendly facility that enabled the credit union to fulfill its mission to lead by example. Design Build Concepts minimized Georgia's Own Credit Union's risk by providing a guaranteed cost for the project and offering the credit union's management team access to Design Build Concepts' Project Vault, an online project-tracking system that allows access to real-time information.
Since its founding, Design Build Concepts has completed nearly 700 financial facilities.

University FCU Earns Green Award

AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin Energy Green Building Program has awarded University Federal Credit Union's East Ben White branch its highest rating.
The credit union facility is the second commercial building in Austin to receive the honor.
Construction of the facility was focused on following environmentally conscious building principles ranging from maximizing ambient light and minimizing solar heat gain and water collection and use for rainwater and air conditioning condensation collection, landscape irrigation, and low-flow faucets to renewable energy production via photovoltaic system and high efficiency heating and air conditioning.
Building materials used during construction also consisted of energy efficient glass, low volatile organic interior paints and sealants and rapidly renewable materials such as bamboo furniture and wheat doors.

PWCapmbell Taps Taylor

PITTSBURGH — Design-build firm PWCampbell has recently hired Gregory Taylor as regional vice president of sales and marketing.
Taylor joins the firm with more than 14 years of experience in banking, design-build sales and business development in the financial services industry. He will be responsible for all sales and marketing efforts in North and South Carolina, as well as initially supplementing efforts in Virginia and Maryland.
"Greg Taylor will be a fine addition to the PWCampbell sales and marketing staff," said James G. Caliendo, president/chief operating officer of PWCampbell. "He is the kind of person that will promote the core values of our company to clients, trade associations and the communities he will service."

Arizona State CU Expands

GILBERT, Ariz. — Arizona State Credit Union is branching out into San Tan Village in Gilbert, Ariz.
Local residents flocked to the facility's grand opening event which included a drawing to "Double Your Paycheck".
Joining locals in welcoming the credit union were Gilbert Mayor Steven
Berman and Gilbert Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Marketing/Sales Mary Salvati.
"Our new San Tan branch represents the growth of our membership in Gilbert, and we're happy to join such a vibrant community," said Arizona State CU President/CEO David E. Doss. "This is just another step to increase our accessibility across the State of Arizona."