COLUMBIA, S.C. — Food Lion, Salisbury, N.C., opened what it called the company's first and South Carolina's first environmentally friendly grocery store here. The store will seek Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification, having been designed and built to these guidelines.

"Food Lion is committed to protecting the environment and reducing energy consumption through green building construction and other energy-saving measures," said Kyle Mitchell, vice president of store development, in a statement. "By building the first LEED grocery store in our company's history and in South Carolina, we are reducing energy costs by more than 20% compared to a typical supermarket as well as conserving 44% more water."

Among the store's environmental features are: high-efficiency lighting that dims lights based on natural sunlight in the store; bike racks and preferred parking for low-emitting vehicles; bathroom partitions made from 100% post-consumer recycled material; enhanced air quality for associates and customers; environmental education via kiosks and signage throughout the store; and a cascade carbon dioxide-based refrigeration system, from Hill Phoenix.

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