Lundberg Family Farms, a producer of organic rice and rice products, completed installation of 1,690 solar panels atop its 37,558 square-foot warehouse on its farm in Richvale, north of Sacramento, CA. The panels are expected to produce 500,000 kWh of green electricity, well above what’s needed to power the building. Combined with 584,000 kWh of green power producing solar panels elsewhere on the farm, Lundberg Family Farms now generates 20% of the electricity it consumes from solar energy, and purchases renewable energy credits to offset the rest.
The new warehouse has been built to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification standards. In addition to its use of renewable energy, the warehouse is designed to capture and filter storm water runoff. The building features high-efficiency water conserving fixtures such as dual flush water closets, waterless urinal and electronic faucets which reduce water by 39% for a savings of 15,625 gallons per year.
The steel used in the warehouse's construction contained a total of 57% recycled content and the aggregate base rock was made up of 100% recycled material. Inside the building, adhesives and sealants, paints and coatings, all contain low VOC’s and no added urea-formaldehyde.
