How Walgreens Designed the Corner Store of Tomorrow

When they pop into the Walgreens store at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Keeney Street in Evanston, Illinois, consumers probably will be buying milk, refilling their prescription, or printing photos from their summer vacations. When they exit, however, they’ll leave with more than groceries and photos—they’ll have experienced the first net-zero-energy retail store in the United States, which will be open to the public by the end of 2013.

“As they’re walking around inside the store, people will be able to read little bits of information on signs that tell them what the store is doing, how its system works, why it’s important, and how it minimizes its impact on the environment,” says Jamie Meyers, Walgreens’ manager of sustainability. “Also, there will be a kiosk at the front of the store that will tell people how the store is doing—how much energy it’s producing, how much energy it’s saving, what its environmental impact is—so that they can actually watch us as we trend toward being net-zero energy.”

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First ever net zero energy store by Walgreens relies on CO2 heating and cooling

Walgreens, the largest US drugstore chain is investing in CO2 refrigeration for heating and cooling as part of its commitment to build its first net-zero energy store in South Evanston, Chicago. The new store, which should open in November, will replace an old Walgreens store, and in addition to the CO2 refrigeration system will integrate a series of energy saving green technologies.

“We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and leading the retail industry in use of green technology,” said Thomas Connolly, vice president of facilities development for Walgreen, in a statement. “We are investing in developing a net-zero store so we can learn the best way to bring these features to our other stores. Because we operate 8,000 stores, we believe our pursuit of green technology can have a significant positive impact on the nation’s environment.”

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