G iven its stated commitment to environmental stewardship and green practices, it’s probably no surprise that in designing its new DC,
retail co-op Recreational Equipment Inc. went all out
where sustainable design is concerned. Rather than
just doing the easy stuff—say, throwing in some extra
insulation and adding a bike rack—the co-op, better
known as REI, designed an ecofriendly showplace
that incorporates solar panels, recycling systems, and
water conservation features both inside and outside
the building.
The new facility, which opened in July, is located
in the Phoenix suburb of Goodyear, Ariz., and complements REI’s existing DCs in Sumner, Wash., and
Bedford, Pa. It was designed using the U.S. Green
Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design) standards. REI hopes
the project will earn a LEED Platinum certification,
which is the top rating and one that’s difficult for a
distribution facility to achieve. At the very least, it
believes the project will receive the next-highest rating, LEED Gold+.
To understand why REI approached the project the
way it did, it helps to know a little about REI itself.
Founded in 1938 by a group of 23 mountain climbing
buddies, REI is a national outdoor retail co-op whose
mission is to inspire, educate, and outfit members
It’s known for selling gear and
apparel for the great outdoors,
but when it went to build its latest
DC, REI turned its focus inward,
creating a facility that is both
ecofriendly and worker-friendly.
BY DAVID MALONEY
The great
indoors
