Experts From Building, Finance and Insurance to Present Integrated Approach to Planning, Building and Protecting Green Buildings PLEASANT HILL, Calif., April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The Argo Insurance Group, a premier San Francisco Bay Area commercial insurance brokerage, today announced the first in a series of seminars that will present an integrated approach to planning, building and protecting "green" buildings. For the first seminar in this series, "New Trends in Building Green," Argo Insurance Group is teaming up with three co-sponsors -- the Northern California Chapter of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), Cohen Financial and Fireman's Fund Insurance. The seminar will take place on Thursday, May 10, 2007 at the City Club in San Francisco. Registration for the seminar opens at 8:30 AM. The keynote presentation will begin at 9:00 AM with the seminar concluding at 11:00 AM. Seminar keynote speaker, Andrea Traber, is president, Northern California Chapter USGBC and director, KEMA's Green Building Group. She will present Building Green and the USGBC Green Rating System. During her presentation, Traber will explain the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) levels and its requirements. LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of green buildings. Traber said, "This event is extremely timely. As the green building boom erupts, this is critical information for setting LEED projects up for success, understanding important cost issues, and making key financial decisions that will support green building goals." Other topics covered during the seminar will include the financial advantages of building green, rates of return investors can expect from green buildings and the insurance industry's response to the green building trend. "The goal of this new seminar series is to present to our attendees an integrated approach to planning, building and protecting investments in sustainable or green buildings. Argo's role in the continuum of services that makes today's green buildings practical and financially viable is to provide industry-leading products and loss control services that meet the needs of green builders and their lenders," said Bill Ferree, vice president, Argo Insurance Group. About the Argo Insurance Group The Argo Insurance Group is a leading San Francisco Bay Area insurance broker that provides commercial and personal insurance, as well as employee benefits. With over 30 years in business, Argo provides clients in real estate and construction with innovative insurance and risk management solutions. About Argo's Green Initiative Argo is dedicated to providing industry-leading insurance solutions and services for green builders and lenders. From pre-construction consultation to building completion, Argo brings the expertise and experience required to structure a comprehensive insurance program that protects green certified commercial and residential buildings. As members of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), Argo understands the performance advantages that Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified construction provides to building owners and operators.
