Hy-Vee To Seek LEED Certification For New Fairfield Store

WEST DES MOINES, IA - The new Hy-Vee store planned for Fairfield will be the company's second store built in accordance with LEED certification standards, Hy-Vee officials announced.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the nationally accepted benchmark for environmentally sustainable construction. Developed and administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, the LEED certification program provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets certain standards for lowering operating costs, reducing waste, conserving resources and providing a healthy environment for occupants and visitors.

In October, Hy-Vee opened its first LEED-eligible retail store in Madison, WI and is awaiting word on the status of its LEED certification application, said Jeff Markey, Assistant Vice President, Engineering/Construction for Hy-Vee. Markey said Fairfield will become the company's second LEED-eligible project when construction on the new store begins this spring.

Hy-Vee previously had announced plans to build a new 64,000-square-foot store (almost double the size of the current store it replaces) at U.S. Highway 34 and South 14th Street, on a site formerly occupied by an Econofoods store and shopping center. Plans for the new store have not been completed, but it is expected to include a pharmacy with drive-up service, a wine & spirits store, a floral shop and a food court with Chinese and Italian departments.

Construction on the new store will begin this spring, with an opening scheduled for the spring of 2011.