TD Bank Constructing the First Net-Zero Energy Bank Location in the U.S.

CHERRY HILL, N.J. and PORTLAND, Maine, Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®, continues to WOW! its customers by becoming as green as its TD logo. Today, the bank announced it is building the first net-zero energy bank location in the United States. The new net-zero energy TD Bank store will open this spring in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

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A June 2010 report by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory defined a net-zero energy building (NZEB) as a residential or commercial building that produces and exports in a year at least as much renewable power as the total energy it uses.

According to the report, an NZEB has two key energy features: The building is constructed with energy-efficient technologies that significantly reduce its energy demand, and renewable energy sources supply at least as much energy as the building uses over the course of a year.

The new store, which is already under construction and will be connected to the local utility grid, will require approximately 97,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity a year to operate, but it will produce a minimum of 100,000 kWh a year on site.

The net-zero energy TD Bank store will also target the highest level of LEED certification, LEED Platinum. Only eight buildings in the nation are registered as NZEBs with the DOE, and TD Bank will be the first to register a net-zero energy bank. TD Bank has opened 17 stores and offices targeting LEED certification for their green design. LEED evaluates buildings for their overall environmental performance in five areas: sustainable sites, water use, energy efficiency, materials and resource use, and indoor environmental quality.

"TD Bank is committed to being an environmental leader and making a positive social impact. Developing green stores isn't just the right thing to do, it makes good business sense too," said Bharat Masrani, President and CEO, TD Bank. "We are thrilled to open the first net-zero energy bank in the United States, and we will continue to work to reduce the energy we use.  To us, being environmentally responsible is fundamental to being the better bank."

The new net-zero energy store will achieve the second-highest level within the four-tier NZEB classification system described in the DOE report. "B" classification out of NZEB "A" to NZEB "D," is identified as an energy-efficient building that generates enough renewable energy within the building's footprint and from its adjacent land.

"The nation's first net-zero energy bank is a continuation of TD Bank's ongoing efforts to reduce our environmental footprint," said Jacquelynn Henke, Real Estate Green Strategy Officer, TD Bank. "In 2010 we became the largest U.S.-based bank to be carbon neutral by building LEED-certified stores and offices, and making continuous significant investments in renewable energy. With our new net-zero energy store, we are taking another step to become as green as our logo."

The store is based on TD Bank's new green-store design standards, which make new TD Bank locations almost 50 percent more energy efficient than the bank's previous design. The green stores feature a solar drive-thru canopy that produces nearly 20 percent of the buildings' annual energy needs and design elements that make them more energy efficient to help them achieve LEED certification. The new net-zero energy store, however, will also generate energy through solar panels mounted on the store's roof and a field of solar panels on the building's surrounding property.

Last year, TD Bank achieved a number of accomplishments around its environmental initiatives, including:

• receiving a 2010 Green Power Partner Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• purchasing renewable energy credits to meet 100 percent of the bank's electricity needs
• becoming the largest U.S.-based bank to be carbon neutral
• purchasing a block of wind energy to power all of its ATMs from Maine to Florida
• partnering with parent company, TD Bank Group, to become participating members of paper manufacturer Boise Inc.'s Closed Loop System™ to buy, recycle, repurchase and repurpose 1,500 metric tons of paper from TD's operations in the U.S. and Canada
• opening its new green prototype store in Queens Village, N.Y., targeting the highest level of LEED certification, LEED Platinum
• opening a 60,000 square-foot call center in Auburn, Maine, targeting LEED Gold certification

TD Bank focuses on delivering legendary customer service by providing the longest banking hours in the markets it serves, Penny Arcade coin-counting machines that are free for customers, hassle-free products, free online banking and bill pay at www.tdbank.com, and treats for kids and dogs. The bank's lending professionals are local bankers making local loans, and they establish customer relationships focusing on service and the delivery of individualized financing solutions.

The DOE's June 2010 technical report, Zero Energy Buildings: A Classification System Based on Renewable Supply Options, can be found here, http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy10osti/44586.pdf.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the United States, providing customers with a full range of financial products and services at more than 1,250 convenient locations from Maine to Florida. On September 30, 2010, The South Financial Group, Inc. was acquired by TD Bank Group, and its subsidiary Carolina First Bank merged with TD Bank. Carolina First Bank will continue to operate under the trade names Carolina First Bank in North and South Carolina and Mercantile Bank in Florida until conversion and rebranding in 2011. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and Portland, Maine. Carolina First Bank and Mercantile Bank are trade names of TD Bank, N.A. For more information, visit www.tdbank.com. TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America and one of the few banks in the world rated Aaa by Moody's. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD." To learn more, visit www.td.com.

SOURCE TD Bank