New bank in Skokie keeps environment a priority

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

When First Bank & Trust completes construction on its new branch building in Skokie, representatives believe it will set the standard for environmentally friendly structures of this kind.

The drive-through bank is being built by First Evanston Bankcorp Inc. at 4007 Dempster St. where a ground-breaking ceremony was held Monday.

It isn’t often that bank officials talk about their building attaining gold certification by Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). That’s a high designation the village is hoping for with its new police complex on the south end of town.

But from the very beginning, when bank officials approached the village and came before the Skokie Plan Commission with their proposed bank, they stressed efficiency and talked about “cutting edge” in how it would be built.

The bank will occupy 3,600 square feet. The environmentally friendly aspects of the design were achieved by not focusing only on initial costs, said Architect Joe Behles.

“Investment in green technologies will benefit the bank and their neighbors, and provide cost savings for years to come,” Behles said.

“The building is being designed to be adaptable for solar panels in the future, and the up front cost of installing geothermal heating is a significant financial investment over other heating systems.”

But once installed, he said, the system will reduce energy consumption and costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and conserve U.S. Energy reserves and fossil fuels.

When First Bank purchased the site near Dempster and Crawford Avenue, Mayor George Van Dusen said during the ceremony, it had to clean up contaminated soil left by a gas station. The bank needed to coordinate with five utility companies to relocate a block of utility poles just so an alley for residential and business use could be widened.

Environmentally-friendly features of the bank will include a green roof with a variety of grasses and plants, landscaping and an arbor; a rain screen system and trellis to create airspace between the building and screen to provide an additional layer of insulation and allow for air movement preventing mold growth; and a large panel of “daylight harvesting” windows and a vertical light monitor on the north side of the building to reduce electrical use and provide a glare-free, naturally-lit work environment.

Also, interior and exterior building materials created from recycled materials and certified renewable forests; energy-efficient lighting; use of low toxic materials and locally-sourced biodegradable cleaning products; a storm water management system to restrict rainwater that can go into the sewer; and recycling of as many materials as possible during the construction phase.

Bank officials say their new branch will open in October.