Office Depot looks to green up retail stores

BOCA RATON, Fla. Office Depot announced that the company will pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Commercial Interiors (CI) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for all new Office Depot retail stores, beginning in June. LEED CI is the recognized system for certifying high-performance green interiors that are healthy, productive places to work; are less costly to operate and maintain; and have a reduced environmental footprint.

“As a retailer with store locations opening around the country, we have a great opportunity to make a difference on the overall environmental footprint of today’s businesses,” said Chuck Rubin, president of North American Retail for Office Depot. “Office Depot takes that role very seriously and have therefore decided to LEED CI certify all of our new store locations going forward. We are confident that this initiative will benefit our customers, associates, suppliers and other stakeholders.”

According to Rubin, 14 new Office Depot store locations will be LEED CI certified, starting with the company’s newest location in Austin, Texas, which is scheduled to open in June.

Office Depot's LEED CI certified stores will include such sustainable features as skylights for harvesting daylight for 90% of the store, a reflective roof, which features a membrane that helps to prevent absorption of the heat from the sun and keeps the interior of the store much cooler and an in-store recycling center, the company reported.

Yalmaz Siddiqui, director of environmental strategy for Office Depot added, “Office Depot has an environmental strategy to increasingly buy green, be green and sell green. By incorporating a leading green building commitment to this strategy, we will continue to lead our industry, and deliver environmental and economic benefits to our company."