LEED in Motion: Retail — Kohl's spotlight
430+ LEED-certified stores
Kohl’s is committed to being a leading environmentally responsible retailer. LEED is one way they put this commitment into practice. An active member of the U.S. Green Building Council since 2007, Kohl’s utilizes USGBC’s LEED rating systems to guide best practices in the design, construction and operations of more than 1,100 stores and corporate facilities. To date, Kohl’s has more than 430 LEED-certified locations, which amounts to 35,616,240 square feet of LEED-certified space.
In 2008, Kohl’s made the commitment to pursue LEED certification for all newly constructed stores and corporate facilities. In addition, to continually improve operational performance, all Kohl’s stores, regardless of LEED certification status, are maintained and operated using the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance sustainability guidelines. Kohl’s has also achieved a Gold pre-certified LEED prototype for LEED New Construction, Existing Buildings and Commercial Interiors through the LEED Volume Program.
Features which may contribute to the LEED certification of Kohl’s stores include ENERGY STAR certification, commitment to green power, water-efficient plumbing fixtures, waste recycling, as well as participation in the company’s green cleaning program and sustainable purchasing practices. One example of the impact of leveraging the LEED system is that Kohl’s achieved its goal of having 800 ENERGY STAR-certified stores by 2015 two years ahead of schedule, reaching 821 stores in 2013. Kohl’s shares its LEED accomplishments with customers and stakeholders on KohlsGreen.com, in the company’s annual CSR report, as well as in LEED-certified stores via store door decals and overhead announcements.
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