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Kroger Opens First LEED Store

A remodeled Fred Meyer location in Portland, Ore., is the first store in the Kroger Co. chain to earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, a spokeswoman for the chain told SN. The store, which opened last month and is in the midst of an eight-week grand-opening celebration, undertook a variety of initiatives to reduce its impact on the environment, according to information

PORTLAND, Ore. — A remodeled Fred Meyer location here is the first store in the Kroger Co. chain to earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, a spokeswoman for the chain told SN.

The store, which opened last month and is in the midst of an eight-week grand-opening celebration, undertook a variety of initiatives to reduce its impact on the environment, according to information posted on the chain's website. The energy-efficiency and conservation initiatives alone are expected to save the store about $250,000 per year, the chain reported.

Among the store's other “green” initiatives:

  • In terms of offering more Earth-friendly and local products, the store expanded the selection of organic produce, natural and organic meat, and organic wine and beer and more; expanded the Natural Choices department; and partnered with local patisseries and restaurants.

  • To promote alternative transportation, the store added extra bike parking and installed showers for employees, and added eight electric/hybrid car charging stations on the rooftop parking lot.

  • To conserve natural resources, the store is using low-flow toilets and sinks, with the goal to reduce water use by 40%; reducing storm water run-off with parking lot “bio-swales” and a green roof on the bottle return building; donating $50,000 to Portland Green Streets for bio-swales and other uses; and landscaping with native plants.

  • To improve energy efficiency, the store is using high-efficiency systems for ventilation and refrigeration, and monitoring its energy and water consumption. It is also using skylights and low-mercury, recyclable light bulbs.

  • It is using only nontoxic cleaning products.

  • In terms of recycling, it is offering only reusable and paper bags — no plastic, and is recycling 70% of its total waste. It is also composting all plant and vegetable waste.

  • It is using recycled tires for upstairs flooring and low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paint, using carts made of recycled (and recyclable) plastic; and reusing pre-existing material, such as the original concrete flooring.

  • Using painted signs on the walls to reduce the use of foam core.

Other initiatives that Fred Meyer undertakes throughout the chain include:

  • Recycling cooking oil to make biodiesel fuel.

  • Replacing traditional wooden pallets with reusable, 100% recycled pallets.

  • Replacing tile floors with polished concrete, which is easier to maintain using chemical-free products.

  • Installing electronically controlled fluorescent lighting in stores and warehouses that conserves energy and creates better color balance.

  • Recycling 45,000 tons of loose cardboard each year.

TAGS: Kroger