WASHINGTON (Oct. 23, 2014)—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced a new report detailing the extensive involvement of the retail industry with LEED and the impact of the globally recognized green building rating system on retail development and the consumer experience. The release of the "LEED in Motion: Retail" report was announced at USGBC’s annual Greenbuild Conference and Expo, taking place in New Orleans. The report is the latest in USGBC’s popular LEED in Motion series designed to equip readers with the insight and knowledge to understand LEED and to make the case for sustainable building practices worldwide. “All of us are consumers,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “LEED enables retailers to make sustainable business decisions and empowers consumers to make choices they feel good about. LEED is used by ‘big box’ retailers and mom and pop shops alike, from end-to-end across the global economy. The 'LEED in Motion: Retail' report demonstrates the power of green building to impact consumer experience and, ultimately, the bottom lines of retailers across sectors.” Highlights of the "LEED in Motion: Retail" report include:
- USGBC’s conceptualization of the future of retail, emphasizing the economic and social benefit of green building for retailers of all sizes and types
- Interviews with industry leaders including Jonathan Balas, senior manager of global sustainability for Yum! Brands and Curt Radkin, senior vice president of corporate properties for Wells Fargo & Company
- Profiles of site-specific retail projects including the Destiny USA shopping complex in Syracuse, the Nike Store at the Unicenter in Buenos Aires and the Ušce Shopping Mall in Belgrade
- Listing of the top 10 U.S. states and the top 10 countries with LEED for Retail certified projects