Right on Target!

Shoppers, brace yourselves. Retailers take note; if you want to make an entrance, this is the way to do it. It’s no surprise that “green” building is a trend that has been picked up by members of various industries, including hotels, city operators, restaurants, small-industrial businesses, and retailers.

If there’s anything we learned from 2012, it’s just how much consumers can be swayed by what’s inside – and outside – your store. Now, as reported by Gallon Daily, after having acquired 189 Zellers stores across Canada, Target, the popular American retailer, has decided to retrofit 124 of them in a more sustainable, and energy-efficient way.

Making an energy-efficient entrance throughout Canada

According to Earth Techling and a press release circulated by Target, all stores opening in Canada this year will be LEED certified. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a third-party certification available to new and existing buildings throughout Canada and the US (read more about LEED and BOMA BESt certification here). The organization ensures that certain benchmarks and best practices are in place to make the building itself and inner-workings of the building as “green” as possible.

The certification process includes the meeting of rigorous standards in areas like water conservation, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and the diversion of waste to landfills. Upon meeting these standards, Target will be one of the first companies in Canada to take part in the LEED Volume Program, which facilitates the certification of multiple buildings at once.

In a statement provided in the press release, Tony Fisher, president of Target Canada comments on the upcoming store openings and the decision to take a more sustainable approach: “We take our role as good corporate citizen very seriously, and we’re proud that Target is making a firm commitment to sustainability in Canada. Striving for LEED certification at our 124 stores opening in 2013 is important as we seek to use our resources responsibly and maintain the health of our communities.”

Money for LEED certification at soon-to-be open Target locations will be drawn from more than $10 million being spent on remodeling each location. Stores are scheduled to open in March/April of this year.

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image credit: sloppy_pandas