EVANSTON, ILL. — Walgreens has plans to build what the company believes will be the nation’s first net-zero energy retail store, which engineers predict will produce energy equal to or greater than it consumes. Walgreens plans to achieve a net-zero energy building by utilizing solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal technology, energy-efficient building materials, LED lighting and ultra-high-efficiency refrigeration. The store will be located in Evanston, at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Keeney Street, where demolition of an existing Walgreens store now is under way. The Chicago-area location allows easy access for Walgreens engineers based at the company’s headquarters in Deerfield, to measure the store’s performance for an entire year to determine if the store reaches its goal of net-zero energy use.
