U.S. Green Building Council Recognizes Green Grocery Stores

SALISBURY, N.C., Oct. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Food Lion announced today that two green grocery stores in North Carolina have been awarded LEED® Silver certification. Food Lion stores at 1738 Bingham Drive and 5555 Waldos Beach Road, both in Fayetteville, N.C., feature a number of environmentally friendly construction and energy-efficient services, including an on-site recycling center, an educational kiosk and preferred parking for carpool vehicles.

Established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. By using less energy and water, certified LEED buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

"At Food Lion, we are committed to protecting the environment and reducing energy consumption through green building construction, and we are especially proud to have received this recognition," said Kyle Mitchell, vice president of store development for Delhaize America South. "We are honored to be recognized for these efforts and look forward to identifying other opportunities to build LEED stores and continuing to further reduce our energy consumption."

The Food Lion located at Bingham Station was LEED Silver certified on June 29, and the store in Rockfish Commons became Silver certified on Aug. 30. Last year, the company opened its first LEED certified grocery store in Columbia, S.C., and the Columbia store has since also received the silver level of certification.

The two Food Lion LEED stores in North Carolina feature a number of environmentally-friendly features, including:

• LED lighting in the frozen food cases
• Bike racks and preferred parking for carpool vehicles
• Low-flow and sensor-activated water fixtures in restrooms
• Native plant species that eliminate irrigation requirements
• Enhanced air quality for associates and customers by using low-toxicity materials and implementing proactive management plans throughout construction to ensure optimal indoor air quality
• Environmental education kiosks
• A significant amount of building materials manufactured within 500 miles of each location to boost local economies and reduce energy expended on transportation
• Waste management plans to divert construction waste from landfills through recycling
• In-store customer and associate recycling programs

Food Lion has one of the most advanced retail energy conservation programs in the country. For a decade, Food Lion has been dedicated to numerous sustainability initiatives, such as energy conservation and reducing carbon dioxide emissions throughout its 11-state footprint, reducing its energy consumption by more than 27 percent since 2000 or 2.5 trillion BTUs. Food Lion is also involved in a number of environmentally-friendly initiatives, including recycling significant amounts of paper and plastic every year and encouraging customers to use reusable bags.  

About Food Lion

Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., is a subsidiary of Delhaize America, the U.S. division of Brussels-based Delhaize Group (NYSE: DEG) and operates more than 1,100 supermarkets. The company employs approximately 57,000 associates delivering quality products, low prices and service to customers in 11 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.

SOURCE Food Lion

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://www.foodlion.com