NORTHBROOK, Ill., March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Allstate
Insurance Company, the nation's largest publicly held personal
lines insurer, announced today that its new data center in
Rochelle, Illinois has been
awarded LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold
certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council
(USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute
(GBCI).
LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design,
construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
The Allstate facility, which opened in 2009, is one of the few
mission-critical data centers in America to receive the Gold
designation from USGBC. It's a key component of a larger strategy
to reduce the number of Allstate data centers to two by the end of
2010 and to increase power efficiency and computing capacity.
"As part of Allstate's promise to be there for our customers in
their time of need, we're dedicated to ensuring high availability
of critical technology systems," said Catherine Brune, senior vice
president and chief information officer of Allstate. "It's designed
from the ground up to maximize computing capacity and minimize
environmental impact."
Allstate's data center achieved LEED Gold certification for
incorporating a variety of sustainable technology, design and
construction strategies that positively impact the project itself
and the broader community, including:
- Leading edge hardware and more efficient virtualization
software that cut the space and power computers use in half;
- An environmental system that blends heat from computers,
outside air and mechanical equipment to keep office areas
comfortable and equipment rooms cool;
- A white roof to reflect rather than absorb heat;
- Glass outside office walls to take advantage of natural
light;
- Concrete made from recycled materials; and
- Native landscaping requiring no irrigation and minimal
maintenance.
By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save
money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas
emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents,
workers and the community at large.
"The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity
to respond to the most important challenges of our time, including
global climate change, dependence on nonsustainable and expensive
sources of energy and threats to human health," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding
Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "The work of innovative
building projects such as Allstate's data center is a fundamental
driving force in the green building movement."
Allstate has two LEED APs on staff, and two other Allstate-owned
facilities in Illinois that have
undergone retro-commissioning reviews based on LEED criteria.
A number of energy conservation and greenhouse gas reduction
measures at those facilities and across Allstate are currently
underway.
Allstate annually discloses its carbon footprint via the Carbon
Disclosure Project questionnaire, and in 2009 Allstate was named to
the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index for both the S&P 500 and
the Global 500.
About the Allstate Corporation
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest
publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the
"You're In Good Hands With Allstate®" slogan, Allstate is
reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million
households insure what they have today and better prepare for
tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products and services
through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate
exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and
1-800 Allstate®.
About the U.S. Green Building Council
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S.
Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable
future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving
green buildings. With a community comprising 78 local affiliates,
more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than
140,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving
force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product
from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of
builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit
organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and
teachers and students. Buildings in the
United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40%
of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per
year, making green building a source of significant economic and
environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85%
of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to
green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American
jobs.
About LEED
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building
certification system is the foremost program for the design,
construction and operation of green buildings. Over 35,000 projects
are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising over 6.9
billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114
countries. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save
money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas
emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents,
workers and the larger community. USGBC was co-founded by current
President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who
spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year
leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green
building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and
research organization in the nation. For more information, visit
www.usgbc.org.
SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company