U-M Credit Union goes green with new Jackson Road branch

If efficiency is the cheapest power plant you can buy then the University of Michigan Credit Union is saving some serious greenbacks by going green with its newest Ann Arbor branch.

The branch, 4440 Jackson Road, looks like the normal ho-hum suburban bank space on the outside, it’s the 4,000-square-feet of inside space that sets it apart from it energy hoggish contemporaries.

“It’s not only to help save the environment but also to help save us some energy costs,” says Jeff Schillag, vice president of marketing & business development for U-M Credit Union.

The structure’s environmentally friendly features are mostly designed around the saving of electricity. Its windows are tinted and its roof is made of a white reflective material to cut down on air conditioning costs. Motion sensors are installed throughout the branch to make sure no lights are accidentally left on or electricity wasted. A series of skylights are installed to bring in more natural light to reduce the need for interior lighting and to create a better work environment.

The light from those skylights will shine down on recyclable carpet. Excess construction materials used during the process were recycled or reused and 70 trees were planted on the site. The branch is also sharing a parking lot with a neighboring Elks Lodge to cut down on rain runoff and old bank equipment was refurbished so it could reused and kept out of landfills.

This is the credit union’s seventh branch to open in southeast Michigan. The credit union, founded in 1954, has over 43,750 members and assets of $358 million. It serves the University of Michigan’s students, staff, alumni and their families, however, employees of businesses located within 25 miles of a branch are eligible for membership.

Source: Jeff Schillag, vice president of marketing & business development for University of Michigan Credit Union

Writer: Jon Zemke