ST. PAUL, Minn., April 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Securian Financial Group chose Earth Day - the birthday of the American environmental movement - to announce that its nine-year-old 401 Building at Sixth and Robert in downtown St. Paul has earned the prestigious LEED(R) EB certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The LEED certification is based on exacting scrutiny of engineering standards, energy usage, and environmentally-friendly maintenance and recycling programs. LEED sets a high bar and is especially difficult for existing buildings to obtain. "Only five structures in Minnesota have received the LEED EB certification and the 401 Building is the only one in St. Paul," said Sheri Brezinka, executive director, Mississippi Headwaters Chapter of the US Green Building Council, which awards LEED certification. "The green building movement offers an opportunity to respond to global climate change, dependence on non-sustainable and expensive sources of energy, and threats to human health. Innovative projects such as the 401 Building are a fundamental driving force in the green building movement."
