Environmental Leader

Office Depot is adopting an energy efficient and green building model for the interiors of all new stores.

Office Depot recently unveiled a prototype energy efficient store in Austin, Texas, that was LEED certified.

That store achieved a 23 percent reduction in carbon emissions per square foot through energy efficiency efforts and solar power.

This year 14 scheduled new Office Depot locations will be built to LEED for Commercial Interiors standards, according to a press release.

“The energy savings realized at our first Austin store location has been even greater than what we had originally expected,” said Edward Costa, Vice President of Construction for Office Depot. “We intend to continue to make our stores as energy efficient, water efficient and cost efficient as possible.”

All new stores will feature skylights (where applicable)  to harvest daylight for 90 percent of the store, as well as reflective roofs with membranes to help to prevent absorption of the heat from the sun and keeps the interior of the stores much cooler.

The stores will use T5 energy-efficient lighting, which Office Depot predicts said is 30 percent more efficient than typical retail lighting and will contribute to over 20 percent reduction in energy use.

The stores also will use daylight and occupancy sensors to reduce energy use.

Here are some other features:

- Preferred parking for low-emitting, fuel efficient vehicles and carpooling.

- Energy Star rated HVAC equipment that exceeds ASHRAE standards.

- Water conservation interior fixtures, including tankless instant hot water heaters, low flush toilets, low flow urinals, and automatic shutoff sensors in restrooms that will use over 30 percent less water than the typical facility.

- Construction materials will consist of at least 10 percent recycled content and at least half of the wood used will be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.