Hannaford has opened an incredible grocery store in Augusta, Maine, with some of the most significant energy efficiency and environmental design features found anywhere. The store is the first in the nation to earn the highest rating possible from the U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED-Platinum certification was awarded to Hannaford at a recent press event and tour attended by NRCM staff.
The new supermarket was built at the location of Augusta’s old Cony High School. Ninety six percent of the demolition debris and 99 percent of the contents of the former building were either recycled or reused. The building has two geothermal pumps, vegetation on the roof to provide insulation and curb runoff, the largest solar panel array in Maine, and innovative passive solar lighting – including 50 skylights. Advanced refrigeration technology at the store will use half as much electricity as traditional supermarket coolers. Most of the freezers have doors, and their interiors are equipped with lights controlled by motion sensors that are activated when someone approaches, and then turned off when shoppers move on.
The store is stocked with more than 3,500 natural and organic products, and hundreds of items from local farms. Educational displays make shopping at this store a real learning experience.
“This is a great example of what can be done to cut the energy use and environmental impacts associated with a building,” said NRCM Executive Director Brownie Carson. Hannaford gets two thumbs up – green thumbs – for this model building that was designed with the planet in mind.”
Leave a Reply