Wind power is an obvious sustainability feature at Testa Produce Inc’s new distribution center, thanks to its 238-foot freestanding wind turbine, but innovative approaches to water management also are critical to the building’s energy- and resource-efficient operation.
Through a multifaceted system, with both internal and external features, Testa Produce expects to achieve a 40% reduction in total demand for water used in the 91,000-sq-ft facility each year.
The company’s water management system begins with exterior landscaping, which is planted both on the grounds and on the building’s partially vegetated roof with native and drought-resistant species that require minimal irrigation. The 45,000-sq-ft vegetated roof itself increases water conservation by preventing rainwater runoff. Further, Testa’s parking lot and walkways are bordered with permeable pavers. Rainwater drains through the pavers into a 140,000-gallon bio swale system, which encourages infiltration into soil and filters excess water into a 765,000-gallon retention pond, reducing demand on public sewers. A 5,000-gallon internally filtered rainwater harvesting cistern stores water for non-potable uses throughout the building, including providing all water needed to flush toilets during a typical year.
The new Testa Produce distribution center, which celebrated its grand opening in May 2011, is expected to be the first food distribution facility in the nation to gain the US Green Building Council’s highest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating—Platinum Certification.
For more information, visit www.testaproduce.com.
