JC Penney's first LEED-certified store

PLANO, TX — JC Penney Company Inc. recently held the grand opening of its first store designed to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, according to a press release.
The 115,000-square-foot store, which is an anchor at The Village at Fairview, is designed to use 41 percent less energy than a similar sized, non-LEED building, the release stated.
Sustainable features of the new store include: A reflective white roof; energy-efficient lighting; landscape materials that will reduce irrigation needs by 50 percent; low-flow fixtures that reduce water consumption by 20 percent; use of recycled materials during construction; and a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system that is 21 percent more energy efficient, the release noted.
The store has also been certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as "Designed to Earn the Energy Star," making JC Penney the first national retailer to receive this designation from the design stage, the release added.
According to the story, based on its design, the store's annual energy performance is expected to be in the top 25 percent of comparable retail buildings.
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