7-Eleven, LEEDing By Example

A new 7-Eleven in the central Florida town of DeLand aims to be the first outlet of the convenience store chain to achieve a LEED rating, according to a recent Creative Loafing article.

An adaptive reuse of an auto mechanic shop, the site surrounding what is now the 7-Eleven was previously covered in an impermeable asphalt surface. However, a third of the site now includes landscaping that includes drought-tolerant, native plants, and permeable surfaces. The plants are fed by an efficient drip irrigation system, while an outdoor eating area with cypress pergolas and arbors allows customers to enjoy the store’s leafy surroundings.

In addition to the building’s landscaping and irrigation system, DeLand’s new 7-Eleven stands out for other sustainable features, including light-colored concrete parking areas and roofing surfaces that work together to reduce the heat island effect; a high-efficiency HVAC system with a UV system that eliminates viruses, bacteria, and mold from interior air; LED signage and lighting that minimizes energy demand and heat output; skylights that bring natural light deep into the store’s interior; high-efficiency restroom fixtures; low-VOC interior finishes; and high-efficiency Greenblock Insulated Concrete Form walls, which also protect the building under extreme conditions, such as hurricane-force winds. In addition, many of the store’s construction materials were sourced from an area within a 500-mile radius, and much of the store’s construction contains recycled content. Half of the word used in the store was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the article notes.

The store was designed by architecture firm Burke Hogue Mills and TLC Engineering for Architecture of Orlando.

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Chris Timmerman
Contributing Writer
Green Education Services
www.greenedu.com