Hoosier Banker 23 FEATURE Creating a Sustainable Future With a new building design As the name implies, a community bank is part of the community. It’s the friendly, go-to institution that sponsors area sports teams, supports local businesses and helps anchor a town. The Friendship State Bank is taking this notion even further, leading a charge locally to create a more sustainable future for its community. The bank did this by incorporating energy-efficient design and environmentally conscious construction methods to create a new building in Madison, Indiana, that takes a holistic approach to environmental sustainability. “A new building is a fresh opportunity to try something new and to show others just what is possible,” said Christopher J. Meyer, president and CEO of The Friendship State Bank. “Somebody had to be first in our area, and we figured, why not us?” The bank turned to K4 Architecture + Design to develop a space that could reflect the community’s values while incorporating cutting-edge sustainability features. Sustainable From the Start The Friendship State Bank’s decision to create a sustainable building is part of an emerging trend that has banks considering the impact their buildings have on the surrounding environment. Incorporating sustainable design features will result in a better working environment and the chance to play a positive role in the community. Additionally, a sustainable design can result in lower long-term operating costs. The project was designed from the start to incorporate solar power and energy-efficient strategies, with Friendship’s leaders asking K4 to configure the building to act as the supporting framework for a solar array. Mounting the array directly onto the sloped roof reduces associated mounting costs and angles the panels to efficiently capture solar radiation. The bank building has 78 solar panels, producing more than 24,000 watts of power. The panels are designed to withstand wind, hail and other damage. Energy from the panels is converted to AC power used in the building. Jeff Klump President K4 Architecture + Design jklump@k4architecture.com K4 Architecture + Design is a Preferred Service Provider of the Indiana Bankers Association and an IBA Diamond Associate Member. Continued on page 24.
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