BALTIMORE -- Convenience retailer Royal Farms has received recognition from the Maryland Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the giant steps it has taken in its commitment towards the environment. The group's annual WinterGreen awards ceremony recognizes high achievers in green building and environmental leadership across the state of Maryland. Royal Farms has received the Leadership in Sustainability award for Business of the Year.
This award exemplifies the efforts that Royal Farms has been making to be more sustainable not just in its construction, it said, but in operations and maintenance, as well.
Royal Farms' commitment to sustainability and green is demonstrated in various ways. All eligible stores are certified through the U.S. Green Building Council and its Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. It has also implemented directives to "green" its operations, including its headquarters, and to provide Sustainability education to all staff.
By implementing successful measures in energy (21% savings), water (42% reduction), lighting use reduction, and by demonstrating success in a variety of other sustainable strategies, Royal Farms stores have been able to achieve LEED certification.
Royal Farms currently has three LEED-certified stores and 20 stores in the process of achieving LEED certification, including its four-story headquarters and retail building in Baltimore that is expected to open later this year.
"With each new project, Royal Farms continues to explore ways to increase the energy and sustainability attributes in an attempt to make each building greener than the last", said Brittany Eldredge, a green building consultant with Lorax Partnerships in Columbia, Md. Eldredge added, "Having an engaged and committed owner such as Royal Farms is a key element to implementing sensible sustainability features that also make economic sense."
Said the Jury Committee, "Royal Farms has a tremendous opportunity to influence their industry as they lead by example. The jury was impressed ... about the prospect of their commitment to green building--this is surely just the beginning of a long and successful journey towards sustainability, and surely will be an inspiration to many others."
Royal Farms, founded in 1959, serves the Mid-Atlantic area and currently owns and operates 132 convenience stores located in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Virginia.
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