“Green” Grocer

Giant Eagle Inc., has become the first grocer in the United States to operate a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified supermarket at its location in Brunswick, Ohio, according to a release from the supermarket retailer’s corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The LEED rating system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to help define and standardize green building features by issuing points for environmentally friendly architectural design.

The 80,000 square foot supermarket, located in the Brunswick Town Center shopping plaza, opened this past summer and is the first U.S. supermarket to earn the distinction.

“Becoming the first LEED-certified supermarket underscores the importance of being an environmentally responsible member of the communities we serve,” says Kevin Srigley, Giant Eagle vice president of marketing. “It is a continuation of our pledge to understand the environmental issues that we all face and to adopt appropriate practices to meet those challenges.”

According to the release, the supermarket earned its certification by incorporating natural lighting with 50 skylights integrated with its electrical lighting system, using water conservation equipment, using environmentally responsible cleaning products and using 100 percent recycled material in its gypsum wallboard, among other features.

“A great deal of time, talent and resources went into making our Brunswick concept a reality,” says Jim Lampl, Giant Eagle director of conservation. “We are already implementing many of these features into our new supermarkets for the benefit of our employees and customers.”