“Earning a Gold distinction is tough,” said USGBC President, CEO and Founding
Chairman Rick Fedrizzi. “REI’s rating is a testament to this company’s
commitment to environmental responsibility and is a model for other
retailers.”
“We have really learned a lot working through the LEED® certification process
during design and construction of our Portland store,” said Jerry Chevassus,
REI vice president of real estate. “REI has been active in the wise use of
resources and green building practices for more than a decade. Mithun, our
architectural partner, has been key to helping REI evolve effective
construction practices, beginning with our Seattle store which opened in 1996.”
Experts in sustainable specialty retail design, Mithun, an award winning
architecture, design and planning firm, worked closely with REI on this store.
“Mithun’s staff members are nationally known as specialists in sustainable
design. They provided invaluable advice at every juncture on this project,”
Chevassus said.
LEED® is a voluntary green building rating system that evaluates environmental
performance from a whole building perspective over a building’s life cycle.
It provides a standard to measure how “green” a building is. With the LEED®
system, credits are earned for satisfying various green criteria. Different
levels of green building certification are awarded based on the total credits
earned.
The REI Portland Store
The 37,500 square-foot store occupies
the first two floors of a new ten-story mixed-use building, with residential
lofts above. Materials manufactured locally and materials with high recycled
content are used extensively throughout the store. Fixtures are constructed
of non-formaldehyde composite wood. Low-water use fixtures in restrooms
reduce consumption by 32 percent. Natural light is brought into the store
through high windows and skylights and photo cells shut down electric lighting
when ambient light is sufficient. These strategies assist in a 26 percent
reduction in lighting power. Where paint is necessary, only non-VOC emitting
types were used. The VOC emissions from the carpet are far below the limits
set by the Carpet and Rug Institute. Finally, 96 percent of construction
waste was diverted from landfills and recycled as the store was built.
REI is a retail cooperative dedicated to inspiring, educating and outfitting
for a lifetime of outdoor adventures. Founded in 1938 by a group of Pacific
Northwest mountaineers seeking quality equipment, REI now has more than 2
million active members and operates retail stores nationwide, two online
stores – REI.com and REI-OUTLET.com –
and an adventure travel company, REI Adventures. REI offers products from all
of the top brands for camping, climbing, cycling, hiking, outdoor fitness,
paddling, snow sports and travel, including its own line of award-winning gear
and apparel. While anyone may join or shop at REI, members pay a one-time $15
fee and receive a share in the company’s profits through an annual member
refund based on their purchases. As an active supporter of the communities in
which it does business, REI is committed to promoting environmental
stewardship and increasing access to outdoor recreation through education,
volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions.
Mithun
Mithun is an interdisciplinary architecture, design and
planning firm and a national leader in resource sensitive and sustainable
design. Over 50 percent of the employees of this mid-sized firm are certified
as LEED® Accredited Professionals. The firm has received numerous prestigious
awards for its landmark sustainable work including honors from the American
Institute of Architects (AIA), American Society of Landscape Architects,
Architecture+Energy, Business Week/Architectural Record, and the National
Trust for Historic Preservation. Please see www.mithun.com for more
information about the firm.
Design Team
The design team for the REI Portland Store includes:
· Architecture & Design—Mithun/REI
·
Sustainability Consultants—Mithun
· Mechanical—Sound
Mechanical Consulting
· Electrical,
Lighting—Hultz/BHU/Cross Engineers
·
Construction—Howard S. Wright Construction Company
·
Project Coordination & Fixturing—REI Real Estate Team
