This past week, a United Natural Foods distribution center became the first cold storage facility in the country to receive the LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Designed by Randall-Paulson Architects, the Ridgefield, Washington facility is completely powered by renewable energy, which has cut energy costs by over 30 percent and reduced CO2 emissions by over 4 million pounds annually.
Along with using 100 percent renewable energy, other environmentally-friendly features at the United Natural Foods distribution center include:
Other companies with facilities that recently received LEED certification include Dell Children’s Hospital and Office Depot, and this year’s International Builders’ Show featured a record number of vendors with an environmental focus.