ALDI Earns LEED Gold Certification for California Distribution Center

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Sep 28, 2016, 11:46 ET

BATAVIA, Ill., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ALDI, one of America's favorite grocery stores *, has earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its environmentally sustainable distribution center and regional headquarters in Moreno Valley, California.

According to USGBC, LEED projects are responsible for diverting more than 80 million tons of waste from landfills. Compared to the average commercial building, LEED Gold buildings consume a quarter less energy and generate 34 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions.

"ALDI is taking steps wherever possible to reduce our environmental impact," said ALDI Vice President Aaron Sumida. "Building our warehouse to meet LEED Gold requirements is a significant achievement, one that will enable us to conserve energy, reduce water consumption, which is critical in California, and ultimately reduce our carbon footprint."

To meet LEED Gold standards, ALDI worked with Graycor Construction Company as the design-build partner along with architects and engineers to improve the design and materials used in the development of its distribution center and regional headquarters. The sustainable building features installed in the Moreno Valley facility include:

Renewable energy from on-site solar panels that provide 60 percent of the electricity at the ALDI Moreno Valley regional headquarters and warehouse.
Ammonia refrigeration system which is a naturally occurring element and highly energy efficient.
Electric vehicle charging stations and bicycle racks that promote the use of greener methods of transportation.
Water efficient landscaping and plumbing.

"Nearly 40 percent of the solution to the global climate change challenge can come from improved building operations. And while climate change is a global problem, innovative companies like ALDI are addressing it through local solutions," said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair of USGBC. "By implementing measures to ensure the facility is operating more efficiently, ALDI is helping us get one step closer to USGBC's vision of a sustainably built environment within a generation and contributing to the uptake of green building practice worldwide."

The accomplishment is representative of the collective efforts of ALDI and their design-build team comprised of Graycor Construction Company as the builder and multiple design partners which included HPA Architecture, Webber/Smith Associates, Inc., Gregg Electric, Inc., Air Control Systems, HSA Engineering, Inc., Huitt-Zollars, Ridge Landscape Architects and KDI.

"The ALDI Moreno Valley facility epitomizes what can be achieved when there is shared mutual respect, trust and cooperation between all project team members—owner, contractor, designers, subcontractors and regulatory agencies," said Daren Sealover, Project Executive, Graycor Construction Company. "The facility is beautifully – and most importantly – sustainably built and I couldn't be more proud to have partnered with ALDI on this project."

Throughout the construction of its Moreno Valley warehouse, ALDI diverted more than 90 percent of its waste to be recycled, composted or repurposed.

"ALDI shoppers know that we save them time and money while offering their families premium quality groceries at affordable prices," said Sumida. "With this LEED recognition, they also know that ALDI is doing our part to reduce our impact on the environment by embracing sustainable initiatives across our business."

ALDI embraces sustainable initiatives not only in California, but across all its operations. ALDI stores have a smaller carbon footprint than traditional grocery stores, due to their smaller size. ALDI stores also feature environmentally friendly building materials and state-of-the-art lighting and refrigeration systems that reduce energy use.

"As ALDI expands operations to California, we will continue to uphold these values by ensuring our California stores feature sustainable building elements designed to reduce our carbon footprint through energy efficiency, waste reduction and green building design," said Sumida.

For more information about the company's Corporate Responsibility efforts, visit https://corporate.aldi.us/en/corporate-responsibility.

About ALDI Inc.
A leader in the grocery retailing industry, ALDI operates more than 1,500 US stores in 34 states. More than 32 million customers each month save up to 50 percent* on their grocery bills, benefiting from the ALDI simple and streamlined approach to retailing. ALDI sells the most frequently purchased grocery and household items, primarily under its exclusive brands, which must meet or exceed the national name brands on taste and quality. ALDI is so confident in the quality of its products, the company offers a Double Guarantee: If for any reason a customer is not 100 percent satisfied with any ALDI food product, ALDI will gladly replace the product and refund the purchase price. ALDI was honored with the 2015 Supermarket News Retail Achievement Award, recognizing the company for its ongoing business expansion and product evolution. For more information about ALDI, visit aldi.us.

About LEED Gold Certification
LEED certification provides independent verification of a building or neighborhood's green features, allowing for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of resource-efficient, high-performing, healthy, cost-effective buildings. LEED projects are responsible for diverting over 80 million tons of waste from landfills. Compared to the average commercial building, LEED Gold buildings consume a quarter less energy and generate 34 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions.

About Graycor Construction Company Inc.
Graycor Construction Company Inc. is a leader in managing new construction and interiors projects throughout North America. Graycor Construction Company Inc. serves clients in the corporate, cultural/educational, healthcare, living & lodging, logistics & distribution, manufacturing and retail markets. To learn more about Graycor Construction Company Inc., visit www.graycorconstruction.com.

* According to a survey of US consumers conducted in 2016 by Market Force Information.
**Based upon a price comparison of comparable products sold at leading national retail grocery stores.

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SOURCE ALDI