Remodeled 54,000 Square Foot La Habra, Calif. Store Incorporates Earth Friendly Sustainable Measures Throughout; Awarded Silver Leed Certification
Albertsons’® remodeled La Habra, California, store has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver established by the by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) making it the first major retail grocery store to receive such recognition for an interior remodel. LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
From its start in September of 2008 through its completion in December of 2008, the La Habra Albertsons’ remodel was focused on 100% energy efficiency. Over 95% of the remodel’s construction waste was separated and recycled or donated to minimize waste going into the landfills. Like all Albertsons stores, the La Habra store recycles cardboard, paper, glass, plastics and metals.
“With each new LEED-certified building, we get one step closer to USGBC’s vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, Albertsons’ La Habra, California location is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement.
This 55,221 square foot format’s interior energy saving measures include:
- Water saving faucets, fixtures and sensors installed in the restrooms to reduce the amount of water by over 45%;
- Internet energy monitoring of refrigeration, lighting, air-conditioning and heating equipment;
- New carbon dioxide sensors and high grade air filters to keep air inside the store clean and fresh;
- Over 40 skylights combined with photo sensor controlled dimmable lighting on the sales floor that create a comfortable shopping experience while reducing the store’s electricity usage;
- Night curtains that have been added to all open cold cases in the produce, meat and deli departments in the evening to seal in the cool air and reduce spoilage and energy costs by up to 25 percent;
- A system that seizes heat from the refrigeration system (used to cool frozen and perishable products) and re-captures it for heating the store’s hot water;
- New LEED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting on all coolers and frozen food case doors that offer a longer life span than incandescent or fluorescent lights;
Plus, on the store’s exterior, customers will notice preferred parking spaces for carpoolers who are committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the Albertsons La Habra store is located within one-quarter mile of two bus routes.
“Like our parent company SUPERVALU, Albertsons is committed to taking proactive steps to minimize our carbon footprint. We are thrilled that we could apply our learnings on sustainability at SUPERVALU to create the first LEED-certified grocery store remodel in the nation,” noted Sue Klug, Albertson Southern California Division President. “We take our responsibility as a good neighbor very seriously, and are proud to introduce this innovative building to our La Habra customers and associates.”
Palladeo Construct is the leading environmental design and retail strategy, custom décor and fixture fabrication and full-service construction firm that partnered with Albertsons on the La Habra store remodel.
In celebration of the store’s LEED Silver Commercial Interior Certification, Albertsons will make a donation to the City of La Habra’s Parkway Tree Program that provides tree planting services for La Habra residents.
About Albertsons
Albertsons was founded in 1939 and currently operates 503 Albertsons and Lucky supermarkets in Idaho, Montana, Southern California, Southern Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Albertsons is part of the SUPERVALU family, which is one of the largest companies in the United States' grocery channel, with annual sales of approximately $45 billion. SUPERVALU holds leading market share positions across the U.S. with its approximately 2,475 retail grocery locations. Through SUPERVALU's nationwide supply chain network, the company provides distribution and related logistics support services to more than 5,000 grocery endpoints across the country. SUPERVALU currently has approximately 192,000 employees. For more information about Albertsons, please visit our Web site at www.albertsons.com.
Contacts:
SUPERVALU
Lilia Rodriguez, 714-300-6438
c: 714-306-5408
lilia.rodriguez@supervalu.com