"Green"—or environmentally responsible—building delivers maximum energy efficiencies and reduces environmental impacts as well as buildings that are more comfortable and healthier to be in.

REI has more than 10 years of green building leadership. We are honored to have received numerous awards and recognition for our commitment and continued innovation.

Our Pittsburgh store was recently our second store to receive LEED-CI® recognition from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, specifically for commercial interior design. Its Silver designation follows our Portland, Ore., store that was the first-ever retail store to earn LEED-CI Gold certification.

REI has been at the forefront of green building, beginning in 1993 with the design of our Seattle flagship store which opened in 1996. We used recycled building materials from existing buildings on-site, such as windows, concrete and other materials. We incorporated large windows throughout to take advantage of natural lighting and assist with energy efficiency. We also left many of the beams and walls uncovered, using materials in a more natural, sustainable way and creating a look that became the hallmark of our stores.

Both the Portland and Pittsburgh stores include a wide range of both visible and "behind the scenes" green building features, such as building materials made from recycled content, energy-efficient fixtures and check-out scanners, natural lighting, water-efficient fixtures in bathrooms and more. These stores have received positive reviews from our members, the local communities and the building industry, for their unique design, accessibility and environmental commitment. Knowledge gained from these projects have been applied to REI's designs for new stores and renovations.

The Journey Ahead

We believe green building is a winning combination for our co-op, our members and the environment; combining environmentally-responsible building techniques with energy and long-term cost savings. We will strive for continuous improvement and pursue building methods that reflect our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship.

Our green building goals include:

• Construction of our new distribution center in Bedford, Penn., using green building methods
• Demonstrating new green building concepts at our Boulder, Colo., store that will be expanded in 2007. This store will be a prototype location that will enable us to study green building and retail technology