Green Building

In 2008, JCPenney became the first national retailer to achieve the Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR (DEES) designation, which we received for two of our future store locations. Going forward, we intend to seek DEES certification for all new stores. To be eligible, construction documents must be 95 percent complete and receive an energy-efficiency rating, based on design, of 75 or higher on a 100-point scale.

Our newly constructed stores incorporate a number of sustainable building features, including:

  • High-efficiency HVAC systems.
  • High-efficiency lighting.
  • Reflective R20-rated insulating white roof systems.
  • Exterior signs with low-wattage LED lights.
  • Occupancy sensors to control lights in offices, restrooms, dressing rooms and stock rooms, saving energy when those areas are not in use.
  • Use of low volatile organic compound (low-VOC) paints, adhesives and sealants.
  • Installation of low-consumption plumbing fixtures and high-efficiency ENERGY STAR-listed washers.
 

In addition, each new JCPenney store, like the 35 stores that opened in 2008, is commissioned at its opening by certified engineers to ensure the building is constructed and operated for peak efficiency.

In October 2007, we opened a store in Denver piloting a series of sustainability initiatives for our future store construction, including those above. At year-end 2008, construction was under way on our first store registered and expected to obtain LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification under the program administered by the U.S. Green Building Council. The 115,000-square-foot JCPenney store opened in July 2009 in Fairview, Texas. Along with incorporating numerous sustainable features, the store is expected to use about 22% less energy than the average similar building.

In a repaving project at our Columbus, Ohio, Logistics Center, 1,550 cubic yards of concrete and 1,800 tons of old asphalt were removed and recycled instead of being landfilled. Additionally, October 2008, JCPenney and MGHerring Group broke ground on our first store expected to earn LEED certification.