L.L. Bean's new Hunting & Fishing Store recently received LEED Silver certification, becoming the one of the first certified retail project in Maine. Administered by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the LEED Green Building Rating System is a national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. In 2006, L.L. Bean committed to build all new structures according to the USGBC's LEED standards. The Hunting & Fishing store is L.L. Bean's 6th LEED registered retail store and its first to receive certification.
"L.L.Bean has a strong commitment to protecting and preserving outdoor spaces. Because of this commitment, it is important for the company to create a sustainable retail environment for our customers," said Ken Kacere, senior vice president and general manager of retail. "We are honored to receive the USGBC's silver certification and be recognized as the one of the first LEED certified retail store in the state of Maine."
To ensure the Hunting & Fishing store met the USGBC's requirements, the architects held periodic meetings with the entire project team to ensure the sustainable goals for the project were met. "One challenge we faced was finding building materials that were local to Maine, an important criteria for building sustainably and obtaining LEED certification," said Sean Selby, architect for the project at Arrowstreet. "Instead, we looked for ways to recycle local materials. We found salvageable wood in L.L. Bean's former Freeport Outlet Store, which we then refurbished and used for the exposed wooden elements in the new store."
Sustainability and sensitivity to the environment were key factors in the store design, such as utilizing salvaged materials, minimizing construction waste, and energy efficiency:
* Salvaged materials (structural timbers, bead board and floor board) were used in many key features of the new store, such as the oversized front porch and floor fixtures.
* Materials include structural steel fabricated from recycled material and interior walkways finished with recycled rubber or carpet.
* Sustainable features include 100% stormwater management, energy efficient windows that provide daylighting and natural airflow, and low-flow sinks and toilets.