BALTIMORE -- Royal Farms said that it is demonstrating its commitment to helping the environment with its move to certify all of its eligible convenience stores through the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and its Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. The chain announced that its Dover, Pa., 5,000-square-foot store is the first Royal Farms to earn LEED certification.
The LEED system evaluates a building during design, construction and use based on energy performance, water efficiency, material consumption, indoor environmental quality [image-nocss] and integration with its location.
"The extra effort that went into this particular site will serve as the building block that will enable us to construct future stores that are LEED certified and reflects our commitment to environment and to the communities we serve," said John Kemp, president of Royal Farms. "Cindy Deken, our director of construction and facilities, deserves special recognition for spearheading this project and seeing it through to completion."
Royal Farms currently has 20 stores in the process of achieving LEED certification, it said, including a three-story office and retail building in Baltimore 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. "Having an engaged and committed owner such as Royal Farms is a key element to implementing sensible sustainability features that also make economic sense"
Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chairperson of the USGBC, said, "Royal Farm's LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership. The urgency of USGBC's mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and Royal Farms serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish."
Baltimore-based Royal Farms, founded in 1959, serves the Mid-Atlantic area and currently owns and operates 132 c-stores located in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Virginia. 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 was able to achieve LEED certification in Dover.
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