Allstate Awarded Prestigious LEED(R) Building Certification

NORTHBROOK, Ill., March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Allstate Insurance Company, the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, announced today that its new data center in Rochelle, Illinois has been awarded LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

The Allstate facility, which opened in 2009, is one of the few mission-critical data centers in America to receive the Gold designation from USGBC. It's a key component of a larger strategy to reduce the number of Allstate data centers to two by the end of 2010 and to increase power efficiency and computing capacity.

"As part of Allstate's promise to be there for our customers in their time of need, we're dedicated to ensuring high availability of critical technology systems," said Catherine Brune, senior vice president and chief information officer of Allstate. "It's designed from the ground up to maximize computing capacity and minimize environmental impact."

Allstate's data center achieved LEED Gold certification for incorporating a variety of sustainable technology, design and construction strategies that positively impact the project itself and the broader community, including:

• Leading edge hardware and more efficient virtualization software that cut the space and power computers use in half;
• An environmental system that blends heat from computers, outside air and mechanical equipment to keep office areas comfortable and equipment rooms cool;
• A white roof to reflect rather than absorb heat;
• Glass outside office walls to take advantage of natural light;
• Concrete made from recycled materials; and
• Native landscaping requiring no irrigation and minimal maintenance.

By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the community at large.

"The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on nonsustainable and expensive sources of energy and threats to human health," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "The work of innovative building projects such as Allstate's data center is a fundamental driving force in the green building movement."

Allstate has two LEED APs on staff, and two other Allstate-owned facilities in Illinois that have undergone retro-commissioning reviews based on LEED criteria.  A number of energy conservation and greenhouse gas reduction measures at those facilities and across Allstate are currently underway.

Allstate annually discloses its carbon footprint via the Carbon Disclosure Project questionnaire, and in 2009 Allstate was named to the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index for both the S&P 500 and the Global 500.

About the Allstate Corporation

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®" slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.  

About the U.S. Green Building Council

The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 78 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 140,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.

About LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 35,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising over 6.9 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive.  Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company