Stop & Shop Earns LEED Portfolio Volume Certification

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. said yesterday that it has received LEED Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), distinguishing the company as not only the first supermarket chain, but also the first company in the country to earn Volume Certification under the Portfolio Program.

LEED Portfolio Volume Certification permits building owners to integrate the LEED rating system into existing buildings in their company's portfolio in a cost-effective way, without sacrificing the technical rigor and integrity of LEED.

The Portfolio Program recognizes market leaders who have achieved high levels of LEED certification within their building portfolio.

Fifty-one existing Stop & Shop stores -- measuring nearly 3.4 million square feet -- have met the USGBC criteria. Stop & Shop's certification was based on a number of green design and construction features, including recycling, solid waste management, water conservation, a white reflective TPO roof membrane, daylight harvesting, T5 florescent lighting systems with dimmable ballasts and occupancy sensors controlled by state-of-the-art energy management systems, refrigeration systems with high-efficiency fan motors, and low-energy glass.

"At Stop & Shop, we are deeply committed to corporate social responsibility and believe it is important to embed sustainability in every part of our company," noted company president and c.e.o. Jose Alvarez in a statement. "This achievement is proof of our commitment to and our success in leading the industry in green and energy efficient operations and buildings."

According to USGBC president, c.e.o., and founding chair Richard Fedrizzi: "Many people think that only new buildings can be green. At Stop & Shop, they understand that there's a lot that can be done to improve a building's energy efficiency and minimize its impact on the environment."

According to the USGBC, U.S. buildings account for 39 percent of total energy use, 71 percent of electricity consumption, and 36 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.

The EPA also recently honored Stop & Shop for the superior energy performance of its supermarkets. The grocer is the only supermarket chain in the country, as well as the only company in New England, to be granted Energy Star Leader status in 2007.

Quincy, Mass.-based Stop & Shop employs over 59,000 associates and operates 389 stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey.

LEED is a third-party certification program, and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance energy-efficient buildings.
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