Recreational Equipment Inc.'s store in Round Rock, Texas, which opened last year, won Project of the Year in The Association for Retail Environments' (A.R.E.) inaugural Sustainability Awards. Stores from The North Face, Bass Pro and Timberland also received recognition.
REI's prototype store includes recyclable carpet, rubber flooring, a rooftop solar power array, solar thermal water system, natural lighting, and energy efficient insulation, appliances and HVAC system, among other features. A.R.E. singled out the LEED-Gold certified store last week for its holistic design aesthetics and functionality.
North Face restored previously closed-off windows with high efficiency glazing at its store in Boise, Idaho, to enhance natural light. Buildings materials are largely recycled or recyclable, such as recyclable porcelain tile with low-VOC, carpet made with renewable fiber and recycled content, sustainably harvested wood feature walls, bamboo shelving, and 15 percent recycled content grout, among other features.
Reclaimed wood from a West Virginia barn and Georgia textile mill was used in the construction of Founding Farmers in Washington, D.C., a restaurant that promotes sustainable food and wine. Nearly half of the materials used to build and operate the LEED-Gold certified eatery were manufactured within 500 miles, while 90 percent of construction waste was recycled. Fifty percent post-consumer recycled paper is used in the counter tops and sustainably harvested wood pulp and waste cover the walls.
The Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Denham Springs, La., Canadian Tire Smart Store in Welland, Ontario, Canada, and a Timberland store at London's Westfield Shopping Center each earned an Outstanding Merit nod.
