The recently opened Sprouts Farmers Market in Culver City earned an award today for its energy efficiency.
The new 32,800-square-foot store features a high-performance system of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration, which is expected to use half as much refrigerant as the industry average.
At a ceremony held today at the store, Frank Davis, Sprouts energy and refrigeration manager, accepted the first-ever “Energy Efficiency Leader in Retail Grocery Award” from industrial firm Ingersoll Rand.
The award recognizes a commitment to improving the shopping and working environment while increasing energy efficiency and environmental responsibility.
“Sprouts is honored to be the first to receive this award,” Jerry Stutler, the company’s vice president of construction and facility engineering said in a recent statement. “We selected this project to be our first [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design]-certified building and it has proven truly energy efficient in its design.”
Prior to building the new store at 5660 Sepulveda Blvd., Sprouts’ leadership team conducted an energy analysis to identify the most effective solutions for the space and chose systems designed by Hussman and Trane — both of which are Ingersoll subsidiaries. The store then installed a refrigeration system that allows for short piping and less refrigerant, and as a result, has been able to save on construction and energy costs, and refrigerant usage.
“Choosing these energy efficient systems reflects our commitment to being an environmentally responsible business within the community,” Doug Sanders, president and chief operations officer of Sprouts said recently in a statement. “We are proud to be recognized by Hussmann and Trane for raising the bar in energy design and practices throughout the grocery industry.”
Sprouts also achieved the Environmental Protection Agency’s GreenChill gold certification presented to store personnel during the store’s grand opening last month. The award is Sprouts’ fifth GreenChill award since partnering with the EPA program last year. Partners pledge to exceed regulatory requirements by measuring, tracking and then reducing refrigerant emissions. Partners also agree to use only ozone-friendly alternatives in all new and remodeled stores.
