Fireman's Fund Insurance Company Awarded Prestigious LEED(R) Green Building Certification San Marin Corporate Campus in Novato, CA Attains LEED Existing Building (EB) Gold

NOVATO, Calif., Nov 05, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Fireman's Fund Insurance Company announced today that it has been awarded LEED Gold certification for existing buildings as established by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

"Becoming LEED certified is extremely important to us at Fireman's Fund(R) as we value sustainable practices and strive to reduce our carbon footprint," said Mike LaRocco, CEO of Fireman's Fund. "We are proud that our corporate headquarters in Novato, CA attained LEED EB Gold and our Dallas and St. Louis offices are also LEED certified." Fireman's Fund partnered with CB Richard Ellis to qualify the campus buildings for this distinction. The project in Novato began in December of 2008 and submissions were made to the U.S. Green Building Council in June of 2009. We achieved LEED EB Gold certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, LEED certified building operations save money for businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emission; and contribute to a healthier environment for employees.

"Building operations are nearly 40% of the solution to the global climate change challenge," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "While climate change is a global problem, innovative companies like Fireman's Fund are addressing it through local solutions." LEED Certification of Fireman's Fund's Novato campus was based on a number of green design and construction features as well as sustainable practices that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features include: -- U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR(R) with a score of 94 -- Title 24 approved energy-efficient light bulbs and ballasts -- Direct Digital Controls (DDC) to monitor and control the HVAC system -- Drought tolerant plants for exterior landscaping -- Green cleaning technology and environmentally friendly pest management -- Recycling programs that reduced trash and construction waste by almost 80 percent (for example, a food composter was installed recently resulting in 6 tons of waste diversion annually and the material is reused for landscaping) -- Sustainable purchasing practices for office and building supplies -- On site fitness center In 2006 Fireman's Fund introduced green insurance for commercial buildings and now offers green insurance for hotels and manufacturer's, green hybrid auto upgrade and green homeowners products.

About Fireman's Fund Fireman's Fund Insurance Company is a premier property and casualty insurance company providing personal and commercial insurance products nationwide. It is rated 'AA-' by Standard & Poor's Rating Services. Fireman's Fund is a member of the Allianz Group, one of the world's largest providers of insurance and financial services. For additional information, visit www.firemansfund.com.

(C) 2009 Fireman's Fund Insurance Company, Novato, CA 94998 SOURCE: Fireman's Fund Insurance Company CONTACT: Fireman's Fund Janet Ruiz, 415-899-5381 [e-mail] Copyright Business Wire 2009 -0- KEYWORD: United States

North America

California INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Architecture

Professional Services

Finance

Insurance

Environment

Construction & Property

Commercial Building & Real Estate