Building It Green

When your customer base is defined by its love for the outdoors, conservation and green building practices are more than a trend — they’re a requirement. Gear retailer REI is practicing what it preaches by continuing to make its stores more eco-friendly and energy-efficient.

REI affirmed its commitment in October 2007 when it unveiled a redesigned store in Boulder, Colo., that served as a working laboratory to monitor and measure green building techniques. In late September, the company opened its second prototype store in Round Rock, Texas.

Built from the ground up, the Round Rock store is estimated to consume 48 percent less energy than a typical store that meets industry standards. The location generates approximately 13 percent of the store’s electricity and 70 percent of the hot water from a building-integrated photovoltaic system, solar panel installation and a solar hot water system.

In addition, Solatube lighting systems diffuse natural light and offset electrical consumption by an additional 5 percent; automated lighting systems dim or turn off unneeded artificial light throughout the store. State-of-the-art mechanical equipment and controls monitor and regulate the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, reducing energy consumption by 25 percent.

Dean Iwata, director of store development for REI, says building from the ground up, rather than retrofitting, means walls are better insulated and a more efficient HVAC system was designed to fit the space.

“We got it to just a shade under 50 percent energy savings,” he says. “That is a huge saving when you think about the amount of energy that goes into a store.”

Sunflower seeds and sneakers
The store also has a different appearance from traditional retail designs because of the recycled materials that have been incorporated. Sunflower seed husks, scrap aluminum, recycled tennis shoes, carpet manufactured through a climate-neutral process and reclaimed wood from fallen trees are incorporated into the floor, perimeter walls, fixtures, benches and table tops.

The Round Rock store was constructed using the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Economic Design) standards and is part of the LEED for Retail pilot project. REI enlisted the help of Gensler, a leading global design, planning and strategic consulting firm, to help design the building.

REI has a rigorous process for evaluating green products and building techniques and generally requires a payback window of seven years. “Nearly all of the investments we are making are at or better than that hurdle,” Iwata says, “and some things, such as the lighting, have proven to drive sales better but it is hard to measure that ROI and see that.”

With few exceptions (the color of the rubber flooring, some lighting fixtures), most of what was implemented in Boulder was duplicated in Round Rock.

Employee, customer satisfaction
Energy savings and sustainability might be the top priorities, but green building practices can also boost employee and customer satisfaction. Surveys undertaken following the Boulder remodeling revealed that satisfaction went up in every category. Employees were especially excited about having a more comfortable rubber floor and natural light in the break room. A shower was also installed in the bathroom for those who ride their bikes to work on hot summer days.

“It was pretty simple wins that moved the meter significantly in terms of what would make a difference to our employees,” Iwata says. “We already have a high retention rate among our staff but I think this will improve upon that.”

REI will examine the environmental and financial performance of the first two prototype stores over the next 12 months before designing and building a third.