Penney Breaks Ground on Future LEED

New York City J.C. Penney has broken ground on its first store registered and expected to obtain LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The 115,000-sq.-ft. store, in Fairview, Texas, will open in August 2009 as an anchor of Fairview’s new 1 million-sq.-ft. lifestyle center, The Village at Fairview.

Based on its design, the store is expected to use 41% less energy than the average similar building. Beyond the chain’s standard new-store design features such as a reflective white roof and energy-efficient lighting, additional features are expected to contribute to reducing the store’s environmental impact, including plumbing fixtures that reduce building water consumption by 20%, a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system that is 21% more energy efficient than those for comparable new buildings, and an energy-management system that allows remote monitoring and control of HVAC and lighting systems.

Because LEED criteria are performance-based, LEED documentation will be submitted to the USGBC for formal approval once the store is complete.