Southeast Michigan is the site for Meijer’s LEED certified Green Store

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan "“ May 15, 2007 "“ Meijer is saving its customers green by building green. On Wednesday, May 16, 2007, Meijer opens its third new store of this year in Allen Park, Michigan. While still providing the great convenience Meijer customers have come to expect, this new store includes features that are environmentally friendly and sustainable.

"Meijer has always been an innovator and we are continuing the tradition of serving our customers with the freshest offerings with this green store," said Hank Meijer, CEO and Vice Chairman of Meijer. "This store embodies design and construction practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact on the environment and on our customers. Our customers care about their environment and so does Meijer." Meijer stores built over the last several years have all included sustainable design features, such as high efficiency lighting and low flow water systems. However, the new Meijer in Allen Park will receive certification as a LEED building (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council, a non-profit organization which uses the certification process to help companies establish goals and measure or monitor progress.

"This store, built on a former landfill, has transformed a once polluted and unusable area into a healthy building site that does not disrupt its environment," said Frank Remsburg, PE, Meijer’s Director of Engineering, Energy and Environment. "LEED certification requires specific and meaningful design and building components that add up to beautiful but environmentally friendly store." The Allen Park Meijer was built with the following green elements:

• A large storm pond around the store which allows stormwater from the roof and parking areas to be absorbed into the soil, nourishing plants, filtering pollution and eventually allowing water to replenish the water table.
• A light colored and highly reflective roof surface helps reflect rather than absorb sunlight. This reduces the amount of heat building up outside the store.
• Outdoor light fixtures with proper shielding keeps light contained rather than shining into the night sky or other adjacent areas where it is not needed or helpful.
• Wood products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council means wood that was grown, harvested, transported and handled in the least damaging ways.
• Native Michigan plants are located around the store and the amount of grass on the site has been reduced so that little or no water is necessary to irrigate the landscaping.
• Sinks and toilets in this store are designed specifically for water efficiency.
• A comfortable and convenient shopping experience can still be created with systems designed to use less energy. High efficiency light fixtures, as well as advances heating and cooling systems are all part of the green plan.
• Locally sourced materials help reduce environmental impact and also support the local economy.
• Leftover materials, such as concrete, wood metal and cardboard from this site were recycled locally and turned into new products and packaging. Also, many recycled materials were used in the construction of the store, including concrete, metals, wood, carpeting, rubber and plastics.

In addition to building the Allen Park store, Meijer has demonstrated its commitment to the environment in other ways this year, including a substantial donation to The Nature Conservancy, a non-profit organization with a mission to save the last great places on earth, and by offering customers the choice of non-invasive plant species in the Meijer Backyard Garden Centers. Meijer also recently launched the Meijer Organics brand, with more than 150 USDA certified products that are unmatched in purity and flavor and grown working hand in hand with nature.

In 2007, Meijer will open a total of 5 stores and plans to open seven more stores in 2008. All these stores will include many of the green building practices used in the Allen Park store. The new stores are roughly 210,000 square feet, roughly three football fields in size, but are designed to move product quickly from the shipping area to the shelves "“ which allows for a more effective and efficient flow and assists in controlling costs.

Meijer is a Michigan based family owned and operated grocery and general merchandise supercenter retailer now operating 179 stores throughout Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio. The Meijer Family has led the company since its inception in 1934. With nearly 65,000 employees, Meijer serves customers 24 hours a day, 364 days a year. To learn more, go to http://www.Meijer.com.

Meijer

Meijer

Meijer is a Michigan based family owned and operated grocery and general merchandise supercenter retailer operating 177 stores throughout Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio. The Meijer Family has led the company since its inception in 1934. With nearly 65,000 employees, Meijer serves customers 24 hours a day, 364 days a year.

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