Energy Magazine, February 16, 2005 Rollins-PCI Construction, a leading D.C.-area general contractor announced today that it will be one of the first commercial general contractors in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore region with the ability to develop and build environmentally friendly office interiors.

"Beginning in 2000, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED's) program began certifying buildings that were developed and built in accordance with improved environmentally-friendly standards," explains Rollins-PCI Construction's President, Barry Lake. "Since our sole focus at Rollins-PCI is on building-out commercial interiors, specifically for offices and banks in the Washington, D.C. area, and we value being good stewards of our environment, it made logical sense for us to lead rather than follow."

The trend to develop and build environmentally friendly buildings has now transitioned to green-friendly office interiors. This past November marked the first time that the USGBC introduced its Green Building Rating System for Commercial Interiors. Rollins-PCI is taking steps to lead the way in green office build-outs and to increase their share of government construction spending. Through careful study of the LEED's Commercial Interiors (CI) standards and partnering with preferred suppliers and subcontractors, Rollins-PCI's focus is on developing the expertise and capability to deliver energy-efficient and environmentally friendly office space to end-users whom are inclined to build green.

"There's no question that government office users particularly on the west coast and increasingly across the country, are ahead of the curve in pushing for green building initiatives," explains Lake. "And with the national capitol area being our sole focus, Rollins-PCI's green office build-out capability will be good for business and good for the environment."

Rollins-PCI is currently completing a very practical presentation on the extra build-out steps and hard costs associated with LEED's CI compliance. This presentation will be geared towards all end-users of office space not just the government, since the demand for green office build-outs will eventually spread across all sectors of industry. Lake says, "Green office build-outs will eventually become the norm rather than the exception."

A copy of the Green Building Rating System for Commercial Interiors is available online at www.usgbc.org.

Government agencies and private sector users interested in scheduling a presentation on green office construction, please contact Barry Lake at 301-831-5031 or via email: barrylake@rollinspci.com. Rollins-PCI Construction is a commercial general contractor that services the Baltimore-Washington corridor and can be reached at (301) 831-5031 or www.RollinsPCI.com.