FRESH By Brookshire’s Awarded LEED Green Building Certification

Brookshire Grocery Company announced that FRESH by Brookshire’s has been awarded LEEDcertification established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. FRESH is the first grocery store in East Texas to be LEED certified. A presentation of the LEEDS plaque, to be attended by Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass, will take place at FRESH on Wednesday, February 1st at 10 a.m. “LEED certification for FRESH was achieved through a team effort of dedicated Brookshire’s partners and vendors who had a vision to build a store that was in line with the company’s overall sustainability goals,” said Rick Rayford, BCG president and chief executive officer. FRESH was designed with features that help reduce its energy use and with materials that include recycled content. It was constructed with environmentally friendly techniques including recycling of construction-generated wastes. In addition, it is being operated to minimize its impact on the environment through energy and water conservation and recycling of operationally-generated and consumer product packaging wastes. The new concept food store achieved LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. “FRESH by Brookshire’s LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The urgency of USGBC’s mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and FRESH by Brookshire’s serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish.” The features of the store for which FRESH was awarded points for LEED certification include: ·       Sustainable Site ·       Water Efficiency                          ·       Energy & Atmosphere                             ·       Materials & Resources ·       Indoor Environmental Quality ·       Innovation & Design Process  U.S. Green Building Council The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 167,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs. LEED The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 100,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED rating systems, comprising over 8 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation.