Kohl’s announces a 'green' first

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Department Stores’ new store prototype has achieved LEED Gold precertification using the LEED for Retail: New Construction rating system, making Kohl’s the first U.S. company to achieve this designation in the LEED Volume Program. The program, administered by the United States Green Building Council, launched in November 2010.



Beginning in spring 2012, all new Kohl’s stores will be designed and constructed using the LEED Gold pre-certified prototype and will pursue LEED certification post construction. The Gold pre-certified prototype will replace the company’s current new store prototype from the LEED Volume Pilot Program, which is pre-certified LEED Silver and has been utilized to construct new stores since fall 2008.



To date, more than 90 newly constructed Kohl’s stores nationwide built to the pilot prototype have earned LEED certification at the Silver or Certified level, with nearly 20 more expected to receive certification in the coming months.



Environmentally responsible building design, construction and operation is a significant consideration and focus area for Kohl’s, said the chain’s chief administrative officer John Worthington.



“Not only do we want to ensure that our stores and facilities provide a convenient, fresh and exciting destination for our customers and partners, we want to do so in a way that demonstrates sustainable practices and principles of leadership for our communities, business partners and industry,” he said. “We have implemented aggressive efforts to LEED certify our stores and aim to reach 300 total LEED certifications by the end of next year and more than 500 by 2015.”



In addition to new store construction, Kohl’s integrates sustainable practices into its existing stores through the LEED Volume Pilot Program for Operations and Maintenance. Under this program, Kohl’s existing store prototype was pre-certified at the Gold level in 2011. Compared with new construction projects, these stores are LEED certified based on their sustainable operations and maintenance policies such as energy- and water-use efficiency and performance, sustainable cleaning, purchasing, recycling and more.



To date, more than 100 existing Kohl’s stores nationwide have received LEED certification under LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance with more than 60 locations registered and in a performance period.



Additional information about Kohl’s environmental efforts is available at www.KohlsGreenScene.com.