Commercial, Energy Efficiency  -  July 20, 2018

BB&T announces investment for energy reduction

BB&T Corporation announced it will invest more than $40 million in 1,200 of its facilities with the goal of decreasing energy and water consumption. The company also set new corporate sustainability targets of reducing energy consumption by 25% and water consumption by 10% over the next five years.

BB&T, a financial services holding company, announced these plans with the release of its 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility report, which noted, "This is the largest annual sustainability investment in our company’s history." Major initiatives include installation of new LED lighting, upgrades to highly-efficient heating and cooling technology, incorporation of an intelligent Energy Management System to eliminate waste, and use of smarter irrigations systems to limit water use.

The report stated, "In many aspects of our company’s operation, we closely consider our environmental impact on the neighborhoods and communities we serve," adding, "By providing our clients with an ever-expanding array of digital services that allow BB&T to serve many client needs from anywhere, we are reducing trips to a physical bank and their associated carbon emissions."

A new state-of-the-art facility for The BB&T Leadership Institute opened in June, featuring site preservation and construction standards developed with environmental stewardship in mind. The report stated, "The facility is designed to LEED standards, and is expected to qualify for official certification in 2018. While all our new construction is designed to maximize energy efficiency, the new home of The BB&T Leadership Institute will be the first building owned and constructed by BB&T to achieve LEED certification. Not only good for the environment, this site will promote a deeper connection to nature for all future leaders who enjoy the site for years to come."