Food Lion breaks ground on new green store

Salisbury, N.C. Food Lion on Tuesday broke ground in Columbia, S.C., for a store that will seek Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification when completed. It will be the first LEED-certified store for Food Lion and South Carolina.

"By building the first LEED grocery store in our company's history and in South Carolina, we will reduce energy costs by more than 20% compared with a typical supermarket as well as conserve 44% more water than other Food Lion stores," said Kyle Mitchell, VP store development, Food Lion.

The store will feature a number of environmentally friendly construction and energy-efficient services, including an on-site recycling center, skylights for natural lighting, educational kiosks and preferred parking for low-emitting vehicles.

Other green elements include:

• High-efficiency lighting that dims lights based on natural sunlight in the store or when such areas as offices or restrooms are not in use.
• LED lighting in the frozen-food cases.
• Bike racks and preferred parking for low-emitting vehicles.
• Low-flow and sensor-activated water fixtures in restrooms.
• Native plant species that minimize irrigation requirements.
• Enhanced air quality for associates and customers by using low-toxicity materials and implementing proactive management plans throughout construction to ensure optimal indoor air quality.
• Environmental education via kiosks in the store.
• Purchasing a significant amount of building materials manufactured within 500 miles of each location to boost local economies and reduce energy expended on transportation.
• Waste-management plans to divert construction waste from landfills through recycling.

The store is expected to open in fourth quarter 2009.