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Thirty-four Union Bank Branches Earn the Energy Star for Superior Energy Efficiency

Thirty-four Union Bank Branches Earn the Energy Star for Superior Energy Efficiency

Published 08-12-10

Submitted by MUFG Union Bank, N.A.

Lancaster SuperStars proudly pose with their ENERGY STAR plaque which reflects a score of 99 out of 100 for their branch. LEFT-TO-RIGHT: Naomi Guzman, Erika Bravo, Daniel Welsh, Coach Pete Amaya, David Frisk, Damaris Reyes, Katrina Duer and Sheila Noorani

Thirty-four Union Bank retail branches throughout California have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR award, the national symbol for energy efficiency, saving money, preventing the release of greenhouse gases and protecting the environment.

"Union Bank is committed to continually raising the bar on energy efficiency and carbon reduction in our buildings," said Union Bank's Vice President of the Environmental Stewardship Department, Kathleen Breed. "And, ENERGY STAR is central to our ability to measure our progress and identify strategies that lead to energy savings."

The EPA's national energy performance rating system provides a 1-100 scale that helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. Based on the information submitted about each building, such as its size, location, number of occupants, number of personal computers, etc., the rating system estimates how much energy the building would use if it were performing at its best capacity, worst capacity and every level in between. The system then compares the actual energy data to the estimate, thereby determining where the building ranks relative to its peers. To qualify for the ENERGY STAR award, a building must have a score of 75 or higher.

"Receiving the ENERGY STAR award is an honor," said Union Bank Corporate Social Responsibility Finance and Data Analyst Ryan Bjorkquist. "Each year, we want to improve energy performance scores in all our branches and build upon this great start."

Commercial buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Having an energy efficient building not only helps the environment, but also costs less for the organization in the long run.

"ENERGY STAR buildings rate in the top 25 percent of facilities in the nation for energy efficiency," said Kenneth Holdway, Senior Vice President of Corporate Real Estate.

These 34 Union Bank branches improved their energy performance by managing energy strategically across their entire organizations and by making cost-effective improvements to their building structures.

To cut back on electricity, the award-winning Union Bank branches throughout California took some or all of the following actions:


  • Roof replacements
  • Lighting upgrades
  • New low-energy heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems
  • MechoShades with ThermoVeil©
  • ATM upgrades

About UnionBanCal Corporation & Union Bank, N.A.
Headquartered in San Francisco, UnionBanCal Corporation is a financial holding company with assets of $84 billion at June 30, 2010. Its primary subsidiary, Union Bank, N.A., is a full-service commercial bank providing an array of financial services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, and major corporations. The bank operated 396 banking offices in California, Oregon, Washington and Texas as well as two international offices, on June 30, 2010. UnionBanCal Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. Union Bank is a proud member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG, NYSE:MTU), one of the world's largest financial organizations. Visit www.unionbank.com for more information.

About ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 50 different kinds of products, new homes and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. In 2006, Americans, with the help of ENEGY STAR, saved about $16 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 27 million vehicles.

MUFG Union Bank, N.A. logo

MUFG Union Bank, N.A.

MUFG Union Bank, N.A.

MUFG Union Bank, N.A., is a full-service bank with offices across the United States. We provide a wide spectrum of corporate, commercial and retail banking and wealth management solutions to meet the needs of customers. We also offer an extensive portfolio of value-added solutions for customers, including investment banking, personal and corporate trust, global custody, transaction banking, capital markets, and other services. MUFG Union Bank is a proud member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, one of the world’s largest financial organizations. The corporate headquarters (principal executive office) for MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation, which is the financial holding company and MUFG Union Bank, is in New York City. The main banking office of MUFG Union Bank is in San Francisco, California.

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