Redwood Credit Union’s Sonoma County HQ gets Energy Star rating

Redwood Credit Union has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star commercial building certification for the financial institution’s administrative offices at 3033 Cleveland Ave. in Santa Rosa.

To be eligible for Energy Star certification, a building must earn a score of 75 or higher on the EPA’s 100-point scale. The Santa Rosa office achieved a score of 97 — meaning the building meets strict energy performance standards and is outperforming 97% of similar buildings nationwide.

The credit union reported it has been investing for years in green technology such as the over 2,000 rooftop solar panels powering 61% of the Santa Rosa office’s annual energy demand. Company sustainability programs include loan discounts on qualified energy-efficient and hybrid vehicles, solar loans, yearly community shred-a-thons to securely dispose of sensitive documents, companywide recycling, and an online green center.

“RCU has been working hard over the past few years to reduce our energy footprint,” said Kimberly Williams, senior vice president of strategy, projects and corporate real estate, in the announcement. “Investing in green technology and helping our communities do the same is integral to what we do.”