VISALIA, Calif. - Tucoemas Federal Credit Union said it has become one of only 3 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold-certified credit unions in California.
Calling itself “impact-focused,” Tucoemas FCU said it is serious about sustainable communities and reducing its environmental footprint. It received the certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for its newly built flagship branch at 614 S. Akers St.
To become LEED certified companies must undergo a rigorous third party review that independently verifies that the building meets or exceeds globally-recognized sustainability standards.
“This flagship branch is the essence of everything we stand for. It is both visually and personally engaging,” said CEO Brice Yocum. “You’d be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful, sustainable piece of architecture in the entire valley. Rather than just building something new, we built something better, something we can all be proud of.”
The building's sustainable features include rooftop solar panels that cover 80% of its annual energy usage, water efficient fixtures that reduce usage by over 40%, energy efficient climate control systems, native plants for landscaping, recycled and reclaimed construction materials, plugins for electric vehicles, and bike racks and showers to encourage biking or walking to work.