Verizon Wireless stores are going green

Basking Ridge, N.J. -- Eighty-five Verizon Wireless Communications Stores across the country have been awarded the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star certification, placing Verizon Wireless among the top third of retailers with certified buildings nationwide and the leading wireless retailer.



Additionally, 41 Verizon Wireless stores have received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).



The Energy Star energy performance rating system provides a one-to-100 point scale that helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. Verizon Wireless Energy Star-certified are 10% more energy efficient on average than non-certified stores. In total, Verizon Wireless Energy Star certified stores save more than 2,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually – the equivalent to the annual emissions from 432 passenger vehicles or the emissions from 267 homes in one year.



The LEED Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Of the 41 communications stores with LEED certification, 15 have Gold status, 25 have Silver status and one has Certified status, according the USGBC’s LEED – Commercial Interiors rating system.



The design of Verizon Wireless LEED-certified stores optimizes water and energy use, enhances indoor environmental quality and reduces waste through specifications and responsible procurement and construction practices.



In order to be energy efficient, the Verizon Wireless stores utilize Energy Star-certified equipment, including energy efficient lighting, light-emitting diode (LED) exit signs, and motion sensors to activate lighting in portions of the store that are not in constant use, such as the storage rooms and back offices.



Additional energy-saving initiatives include insulating water heaters and piping, and properly sealing the entire building structure and entry doors to prevent the loss of heated or cooled air.