Tennessee Bankers Association Awarded LEED Green Building Certification

For Immediate Release Contact: Stephanie Shaver Seigenthaler Public Relations 615-327-7999 [email protected]

Date: July 8, 2008

Tennessee Bankers Association Awarded LEED® Green Building Certification

Centric Architecture and R.C. Mathews Contractor Team Up to Build State-of-the-Art Facility for TBA

Nashville, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Bankers Association (TBA), a trade association established to serve the needs of the state's banks, thrift institutions, and trust companies, has been awarded LEED Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its new corporate headquarters at 211 Athens Way in MetroCenter. TBA’s new facility and site was designed by Centric Architecture and constructed by R.C. Mathews Contractor.

LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the USGBC’s leading rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy efficient, and high performing buildings. The Class-A, 35,685 square foot, two-story office and conference facility was designed to achieve LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and materials, among a variety of other sustainable strategies. Tenants include Tennessee Bankers Association and its insurance subsidiary, Financial Products and Services, Inc.

“As the owner and occupant of their building, the Tennessee Bankers Association ranked building systems performance high on their list of priorities,” said John Tettleton, principal of Centric Architecture. “Together with TBA, we determined that the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system would serve as the ideal framework for achieving an all-around sustainable building.” …more

1 “We began with a desire to construct a sustainable building, but that desire soon evolved into a deeper passion for creating an entirely sustainable workplace for our staff, members and visitors,“ said Bradley Barrett, president of Tennessee Bankers Association. “Beyond the economic and environmental benefits of a LEED Certified workplace, our office space now promotes a healthier work environment for our employees.”

LEED was established for market leaders to design & construct buildings that protect and save precious resources while also making good economic sense. TBA’s LEED certification was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community.

“TBA is an outstanding trade association that put the needs of its membership as the priority in the construction of the new facility, which translates into a very high quality building with state-of- the-art meeting and conference spaces,” said Walker Mathews, president of R.C. Mathews Contractor. “From regionally manufactured building materials to low-emitting paints and adhesives, TBA’s headquarters is also a model of eco-friendly design. R.C. Mathews Contractor is proud to support high standards in sustainable building and be a part of the team for TBA’s headquarters.”

TBA’s green design and construction features include:

. Site design and development that maximizes open space and preserves the natural landscape of the building site.

. Using low or no VOC building materials in order to eliminate off-gassing and create a healthier environment in which to work and breathe.

. Optimizing energy performance by installing all Energy Star appliances.

. Utilizing controllable lighting and thermal comfort systems, including zoned thermostats, operable windows and motion sensors in each room.

. Implementing a green cleaning initiative that minimizes toxins in the air by using environmentally friendly cleaning products and sealing and independently venting rooms where toxins may be present.

. Planting all native or adaptive plants on the building site, supporting water efficient landscaping.

. Implementing an extensive recycling program that includes on-site recycling pick-up centers.

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2 “The Tennessee Bankers Association is to be congratulated for achieving LEED Certification,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO, Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The certification of Tennessee Bankers Association’s headquarters building sends a message that TBA cares about the health of the building’s users and employees. Everyone’s comfort, safety and well-being will benefit from the fresh air and natural day light.”

About Centric Architecture Centric Architecture, founded in 1955, has a staff of 18 with six licensed architects. The Nashville- based firm’s services include design, planning, historic preservation and interior design services for a broad range of education, health-care, institutional, financial and commercial clients. For more information visit www.centricarchitecture.com.

About R.C. Mathews Contractor R.C. Mathews Contractor is a general contractor located in Nashville, serving Tennessee and the Southeastern United States. R.C. Mathews provides a wide range of construction services including commercial, industrial, medical, office building construction and renovations, design/build projects, and construction management. For more information visit www.rcmathews.com.

About Tennessee Bankers Association The Tennessee Bankers Association is a trade association established to serve the needs of the state's banks, thrift institutions, and trust companies. Among other activities, the association provides continuing education, develops and monitors state and federal legislative agendas, disseminates information on all facets of the financial services industry, and promotes the public image of financial institutions. To conduct these efforts, the Nashville-based TBA employs a staff of 16. For more information visit www.tnbankers.org.

About the U.S. Green Building Council The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. Since USGBC’s founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 13,000 member companies and organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED® green building rating systems, an expansive educational offering, the industry’s popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org), and a network of 72 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.