LEED for Retail: Commercial Interiors

We were recently approached by our client, Jason Neely, of Palm Beach Tan, to participate in their endeavor of designing a more environmentally friendly salon, striving for a LEED certification. Jason stated, “Our business, as a whole, uses a lot of power and resources”. He questions, “How can we give back some of what we use and reduce our carbon footprint?” Despite the cynics, there are ways that a tanning salon can reduce their consumption and become a more green operation.

LEED for Retail was created for the unique characteristics of retail facilities, which often open stores in existing buildings. It’s broken down into criteria for New Construction and Commercial Interiors Rating Systems. The LEED Rating System offers tenants an option to become certified at the site level rather than the project building level and attributes standards which the retailer can implement in each new retail location.

So, where do we start? Each project begins with reviewing the LEED Checklist and evaluating which credits this specific project endeavors to achieve for certification. For our “case study”, Palm Beach Tan chose a 2,100 square foot suite located immediately adjacent to the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.

• Site Selection- As realtors like to say, it’s all about “location”. By selecting to build in a walkable community, with its proximity to public services and transportation, they’ve established a great foundation towards their goal. 
• Water Use Reduction - Using low-flow plumbing fixtures not only helps with their utility bills, it helps reduce the demand on the local water supply and waste water systems. 
• Power Demand - A tanning salon typically requires a large power supply to run the beds and booths.  Installing more efficient lighting fixtures using LED lamps in lieu of fluorescent lamps, and using occupancy sensors in the rooms, can decrease the overall load requirements. 
• HVAC Energy Performance - Running high efficient heating and cooling systems with thermostats to control the indoor temperature is another way to cut energy consumption. 
• Low Emitting Materials - Utilizing low-emitting materials, such as low VOC paints, adhesive and sealants, and flooring and wall products contribute to better air quality not only during the construction process, but for the occupants who will use the space every day. 
• Waste Management - Green building initiatives can also involve how the tenant fit-out is built.  Construction waste and demolition debris can be diverted from landfills by implementing a construction waste management plan.  This type of plan identifies materials which can be sorted to be salvaged or recycled rather than just thrown away.  
• Indoor Air Quality - LEED Credits are earned for employing air quality management plans, not only during construction, but also after completion and before occupancy occurs.                                                                                                                                               

Palm Beach Tan’s ambition to instill a more sustainable business practice into a trade not typically known for their ecological prowess is commendable. Jason expressed his desire, “do what we can to be the best company” and “be as green as possible”.

Although I only touched on a small number of possible credits and while these qualifications steer towards LEED certification, the benefits of using these methods in everyday construction are worth the investment.  Next time you’re interested in a LEED certified project, let one of JL Architects, three LEED AP’s assist you!

-Melanie Hicks