Retail has a special place in our society, as it is a function type that unifies all of us. We may not all work in offices, visit hospitals, live in duplexes or have children in school, but we all patronize retail establishments. Whether we buy food from a supermarket, buy shoes from a shoe store or have dinner out at a restaurant, we patronize retail. Since two thirds of our nation’s GDP is based upon consumer spending, our retail footprint in square feet of shopping per capita is far greater than other countries.

Retail is itself almost a catch-all term, running the spectrum in size from a small storefront to a larger anchor big box store; in ownership structure from the proverbial mom-and-pop store to a publically-traded international conglomerate; and in impact from dry goods storefronts to supermarkets. As LEED has developed, retailers have seen fit to ask for and help direct a rating system more specific to these diverse concerns. We believe this is appropriate. Working with our own clients, evolveEA has been a part of the development of the LEED for Retail process since 2005. As a member of the LEED for Retail Corresponding Committee, we have advocated for actual retail concerns in balance with the intention of LEED as a transformative tool. The establishment of best practices that reach in increasing efficiency – in resource, material, energy and land usage – must be established in balance with the potential for market acceptance and uptake. Currently, LEED for Retail is being balloted (Fall 2009) and once approved will stand as a track within LEED 2009, available for both Buildings Design and Construction for freestanding applications and Interior Design and Construction for tenant fitouts.

Why green retail? Lessons we’ve learned from our various retail projects include:

Daylighting works. Products are better rendered under well-controlled full-spectrum daylight. Diffuse, indirect sunlight is best and can work well with electrical lighting. And photometric sensors linked to dimmable ballasts will dim lighting in concert with available daylight, allowing significant energy savings. Shoppers also appreciate direct lines of sight to the exterior.

Energy Modeling. The energy simulation for a single store can yield many “what if”s regarding potential energy-saving strategies. These savings can be quantified, then coupled with first costs to determine returns on investment. An advantage to pursuing this approach with retail is the ability to replicate the lessons learned on a prototype in multiple stores, amortizing the efforts of the evaluation and multiplying the savings.

Clean air. Fresh, filtered air will soothe users and augment mental acuity. Ample ventilation, coupled with high levels of filtration and the reduction of VOC (volatile organic compound) –laden cleaning products will contribute to a healthy interior environment. The construction of spaces should also avoid or at least minimize the use of VOC-containing materials.

Efficient lighting. As LED lighting technology increases, high-efficient LED lighting can be used in exterior lighting, refrigerated case lighting and shopping area lighting applications. Direct and indirect fluorescent lighting can yield effective shopping areas at less than one watt per square foot. We have also successfully used fiber optic lighting in walk-in cases.

Promotion. A green certification shows leadership, and as part of a larger strategy will provide opportunities for presentations, outreach and leadership within the industry. Customers in turn respond to this ethos, further reinforcing the opportunity to share lessons and further advance the industry.

Selected retail projects in which evolveEA has played a significant role:

1. Eastside Project ‘Building C.’ East Liberty, Pittsburgh, PA. Speculative vanilla box development that ultimately housed a 26,000sf Borders store. Green efforts centered about use of the LEED Core and Shell Pilot rating system. evolveEA led the team through the evolution of this new system, contributing to its own development in the process. Achieved LEED Core and Shell GOLD Certification, 2007.
2. Eastside Project Phase II, East Liberty, Pittsburgh, PA. This brownfield development in a neglected part of the city utilized a great number of green strategies. Developed with a wellness theme, the project embodies renewal, pedestrian linkages, transit-oriented development, urban infill, low urban heat island and rainwater capture for irrigation. Additionally the store mix supports bicycling, books, health food, and fitness, among others. Also assisted in the LEED Core and Shell certification of 16,000sf ‘Building B.’
3. Wegmans Food Markets Inc. Mid-Atlantic locations. Thorough simulation and evaluation of two large store prototypes to determine optimal daylighting strategies, locations, spacing, types, costs and merchandising implications. These were then combined with energy simulations reflecting their utilization, as well as opportunities to improve energy performance related to refrigeration, HVAC, and envelope considerations.