Skechers USA, Inc. announced that its North American distribution center in Rancho Belago, CA has been officially certified LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council. Designed and built by developer Highland Fairview to the highest environmental standards, the 1.82 million-square-foot Skechers facility is the largest LEED certified building in the U.S. to have received this honor.

Skechers is committed to growing its business in a way that conserves natural resources, protects the environment and reduces waste, said David Weinberg, Skechers COO and CFO. In addition to efficiently distributing our product across North America, the Skechers Rancho Belago facility is an outstanding example of how large corporations can grow their business while also promoting Earth-friendly practices. Were proud of the design innovation and ‘green features that can be found throughout the facility.

“We are honored to receive this unique recognition. A LEED Gold designation is a tremendous achievement for any size project and to be recognized for the largest most advanced sustainable development of its kind in the U.S. is especially rewarding, said Highland Fairview President and Chief Executive Officer Iddo Benzeevi.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for commercial buildings involves a scorecard that evaluates several categories: sustainability, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation. The Skechers distribution center, which received its certification on December 28, 2012, earned 41 points from this scorecard to secure LEED Gold certification. Key features include:

  •     280,000 square-feet of solar power generation systems on the roof.
  •     Lighting that operates as needed, regulated by motion sensors and powered in part by solar panels.
  •     A warehouse ventilation system that utilizes outside air drawn through louvers facing the prevailing winds, plus energy efficient heating and cooling systems.
  •     A solar reflective white cool roof and light colored on-site pavement to help reduce heat and global warming.
  •     Water efficient and drought tolerant landscaping that reduces irrigation by 50 percent.
  •     A Water Pollution Prevention Program that captures and treats storm water runoff from 90 percent of annual rainfall.
  •     Low-emitting paints, coatings, glues, and sealants that comply with LEED standards were used during construction.
  •     Recycled and regional building materials were sourced within 500 miles of the construction site. The majority of on-site construction waste materials were recycled as well.

Weinberg added: With the capacity to annually ship 100-million pairs of shoes, this state-of-the-art automated facility will allow us to efficiently grow our business with reduced impact to the environment. And, with the addition of a Skechers retail store at the site, we can service the local community.

The official groundbreaking ceremony for the Skechers distribution center took place in March 2010, and was attended by then governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the building opened for operation in November 2011. In addition to the warehouse operations-which can process 18,000 to 20,000 pairs of shoes for distribution in one hour-the structure includes 20,000 square-feet of office space and a Skechers retail store.