Green Inside and Out; River Valley Market Food Co-op

From the ninety solar electricity panels on the roof of a state-of-the-art green building, to the abundance of fresh and local foods stocked throughout the store, River Valley Market is the newest green business to open in Western Massachusetts. Located in a long abandoned city rock quarry, on North King Street in Northampton, this cooperativly-owned grocery store, that's open to the public, has an impressive list of green attributes:

The entryway was built using local sustainably harvested wood

A solar electricity system generates 34.5 kilowatts of electricity.

Special Kalwall windows and skylights bring high quality natural light into the store with much less heat loss/gain than triple glazed windows.

Heat from refrigeration is recycled and used to heat hot water.

Green power credits are purchased to offset all additional electricity purchased from the grid.

The lighting system automatically adjusts the lights according to the amount of natural sunlight available in the store. Oil and gas from the parking lot are filtered from parking lot rain storm water run off. Rain water is collected from the roof to water the trees and plants. Many native

trees and plants were planted on the grounds. Water efficient toilets are installed in all restrooms. The majority of the store's waste is recycled or composted.

The comprehensive indoor air quality management system started with the construction installation process and low VOC building materials selection and continues with a filtration system, no smoking policy, and green housekeeping plan.

River Valley Market's green building will be officially certified by a rating system called LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The LEED Green Building Rating System, encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.(See background information pg.3.) The process for becoming LEED certified was a rigorous one, requiring every aspect of the building process and every element of the building and grounds to be evaluted for meeting sustainability performance criteria.

The ninety solar electric panels on the roof generate 34.5 kilowatts of electricity. Electric power usage is further reduced by a system which tracks the amount of daylight in the store, automatically adjusting the indoor lighting to save electricity when the sun is shining.

The store's solar electric system and weather station produce educational energy data which will be displayed on a computer screen in the store. The data will show how much electricity is being generated in real time and track the weather conditions affecting the system's production. The data will also be available online for area schools and interested local residents.

A grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative helped River Valley Market fund the solar electric system and most of the building's energy efficiency measures.

Inside the store River Valley Market has taken many steps to enhance the new store's indoor air quality.

River Valley Market's air filtration system has been fully protected during the construction process. Duct openings were sealed to prevent construction dust from entering and ventilation components were protected from contamination before installation. Filters are used and changed regularly to keep the system clean.

An air exchange system keeps a constant flow of fresh air flowing through the building.

All paints, adhesives and sealants used in the store contain low or no off-gassing of VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds).

The entryway floor grille captures dirt, particulates, and other potential contamination from foot traffic.

Only unscented soap and green housekeeping products are used in public and employee restrooms.

An integrated pest management system avoids the use of chemical pest controls inside the store.

By many standards this is the greenest new grocery store in Massachusetts. River Valley Market is a member-owned cooperative grocery store, open to the general public, specilizing in fresh local foods.

New England companies involved in the River Valley Market project:

H.P. Cummings, Ware, MA

Solar Design Associates, Cambridge, MA

Pioneer Valley PhotoVoltaic Cooperative, Greenfield,MA

The Berkshire Design Group, Northampton, MA

New Ecology Inc., Cambridge, MA

Kalwall, Manchester,NH

Tree Frog Landscapes, Northampton,MA

Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative, South Deerfield, MA

Co-op Power, Greenfield, MA

Advantages of LEED-certified buildings:

* Lower operating costs and increased asset value.

* Reduce waste sent to landfills.

* Conserve energy and water.

* Healthier and safer for occupants.

* Reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

* Qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives in hundreds of cities.

* Demonstrate an owner's commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

Visit: usgbc.org for more info.