Design a retail store that can achieve LEED® Platinum Certification. That was CVS Health’s ambitious goal back in 2010.
The retail giant believes that the sustainability of the planet is linked to better health for their customers. To align their building efforts with their vision for sustainability, they set out to accomplish what few retailers had previously done. Through collaboration between CVS, the design team, and the contractors, the CVS in West Haven became the eighth LEED for Retail Platinum project in the USGBC database in August of 2014.
So, how did they achieve this prestigious certification without breaking the bank?
All aspects of the building and site were evaluated for their contributions to sustainability. By constantly keeping an eye on the bottom line, it was possible to develop design efficiencies and use the savings for items which had greater impact on the overall building performance.
For instance, the building itself uses 49.61% less water than a baseline building. This was achieved through the selection of efficient plumbing fixtures, including 1.0 gallon per flush toilets, metering faucets, and pint flush urinals. Also, through responsible selection of drought-tolerant and native/adapted species, irrigation on site was eliminated from the design of the project. This is just one of the many efficiencies we incorporated into the design.
The CVS in West Haven is a remarkable example of what can be accomplished when vision and design are merged in efforts to promote sustainability. The building has received no shortage of recognition to date, as it was recently selected by the Connecticut Green Building Council as a recipient of the 2014 Commercial Award of Honor.