MORENO VALLEY, CALIF. — Leading grocery retailer ALDI has earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its environmentally sustainable distribution center and regional headquarters in Moreno Valley.
According to USGBC, LEED projects are responsible for diverting more than 80 million tons of waste from landfills. Compared to the average commercial building, LEED Gold buildings consume a quarter less energy and generate 34 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions.
To meet LEED Gold standards, ALDI worked with Graycor Construction Co. as a design-build partner along with architects and engineers to improve the design and materials used in the development of its distribution center and regional headquarters. The sustainable building features include:
• Renewable energy from onsite solar panels that provide 60 percent of the electricity.
• Ammonia refrigeration system, which is a naturally occurring element and highly energy-efficient.
• Electric vehicle charging stations and bicycle racks that promote the use of greener methods of transportation.
• Water-efficient landscaping and plumbing.
Partners in the project include Graycor, HPA Architecture, Webber/Smith Associates, Inc., Gregg Electric, Inc., Air Control Systems, HSA Engineering Inc., Huitt-Zollars, Ridge Landscape Architects and KDI.
Throughout the construction of its Moreno Valley warehouse, ALDI diverted more than 90 percent of its waste to be recycled, composted or repurposed.