Gund Partnership and Suffolk Construction celebrated the ground breaking for the new 100,000 s/f world headquarters for Service Credit Union at 2995 Lafayette Rd. The project, scheduled for a fall 2012 completion, is the first constructed under the city's new Gateway District zoning ordinances. The four-story building is projected for LEED Gold certification, utilizing geothermal heat exchange, displacement ventilation and other systems that reduce energy usage and provide healthy work environments. Gund Ptrsp. of Cambridge is the project architect and Suffolk Const. of Boston is the construction manager. Currently, Service Credit Union's corporate offices are located at 2010 Lafayette Rd. in a 19,000 s/f building. The new building will be constructed with local, New Hampshire labor. Both the new and current corporate office buildings will accommodate present and expected future growth over the next 10 to 15 years. Service Credit Union will immediately house over 100 employees, bringing 60 new jobs to the city after completion with plans for expansion of another 40 or more jobs over the next five years. "Service Credit Union is committed to a clean, friendly environment", said Gordon Simmons, president/CEO of Service Credit Union, "thus, we are pleased that we were able to pursue the LEED green initiative (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) directed by the U. S. Green Building Council. Our LEED building addresses the cleanup of a formerly contaminated landsite, water, energy and atmospheric efficiencies, materials and resources as well as indoor environmental quality, innovation and design. We are striving for a LEED Gold certification". The new corporate offices will be designed and built using strategies intended to improve performance in metrics such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction and improved indoor environmental quality. Some of LEED elements of the building include skylights, geothermal heating and natural sunlight." The four-story building will feature a full service, 24/7 member service call center, foreign exchange, member check imaging, processing and control, finance, community rooms, conference rooms, departmental and executive offices. Gund Partnership's managing principal John Prokos, FAIA, LEED AP described the building's design as embodying "Service Credit Union's values of service to its members, dedication to its employees and commitment to environmental stewardship. It will be an iconic urban landmark for Service Credit Union and the city of Portsmouth." "The new Service Credit Union corporate headquarters will be more than just an office building—it will be a place of influence and importance for Service Credit Union members and staff alike, and it will serve as a longstanding symbol of this organization's stability, strength, and commitment to sustainable business practices," said Mark DiNapoli, president and general manager of the Northeast for Suffolk Construction. "We are extremely proud to be working on this project with architect Gund Partnership to help make the vision for this beautifully-designed building a reality."