DEERFIELD, Ill. - Walgreens announced plans to build what the company believes will be the first net zero energy retail store in the United States, which engineers predict will produce energy equal to or greater than it consumes. Walgreens plans to achieve that by utilizing solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal technology, energy-efficient building materials, LED lighting and ultra-high-efficiency refrigeration.
"We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and leading the retail industry in use of green technology," said Thomas Connolly, Walgreens vice president of facilities development.
The store will be located in Evanston, Ill., at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Keeney Street, where demolition of an existing Walgreens store now is under way. The Chicago-area location offers easy access for Walgreens engineers based at the company??s headquarters to measure the store??s performance for an entire year to determine if the store reaches its goal of net zero energy use.
Engineering estimates, which can vary due to factors such as weather, store operations and systems performance, indicate that the store will use 200,000-kilowatt hours per year of electricity while generating 256,000-kilowatt hours per year.
Walgreens will attempt to have the store achieve LEED Platinum status, which is the most stringent green designation by the U. S. Green Building Council, and plans to enter the store into the International Living Future Institute??s Living Building Challenge. The store will be Walgreens second showcase project in the Department of Energy Better Buildings Challenge. Through the Better Buildings Challenge, Walgreens has committed to a chain wide 20% energy reduction by 2020.
The project is the latest of many green initiatives for the company. Walgreens currently operates two stores that have achieved a LEED certification level of gold and certified; 150 stores utilizing solar power; a store in Oak Park, Ill., using geothermal energy; a distribution center in Waxahachie, Texas, that generates energy though the use of wind; and 400 locations with electric vehicle charging stations. Walgreens stores use 25-watt fluorescent lamps, LED cooler and freezer lighting and energy management systems in more than 5,000 locations. In addition, 15 Walgreens distribution centers have achieved net zero waste, which means revenues from recycling exceed waste expense.
Walgreens set up the Net Zero Facebook page for consumers to follow the store??s two-year journey to achieve net zero status and other green initiatives.