May 5, 2008 - Banking giant HSBC has built its new North American headquarters, a 560,000 square foot building in suburban Chicago, in accordance with the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED sustainability framework.

The new office building combines five HSBC facilities in the Chicago area and will be home to about 3,100 employees.

"The new facility helps HSBC improve operational efficiency while offering a great location for bringing together several facilities into one centralized location," says Brendan McDonagh, CEO of HSBC North America.

HSBC says it has expanded its flexible work program to allow more employees to work from home. The company has also set aside preferred parking spots for drivers of fuel-efficient or hybrid vehicles.

In January, HSBC cut the ribbon on a new office tower in Mexico City - the first project in Latin America to achieve LEED Gold status from the U.S. Green Building Council.