LEED-Certified Retail Spaces for U.S. Cellular

Two of U.S. Cellular’s new stores in northern Illinois have achieved LEED-CI certification from the USGBC.

As part of a nationwide design contract with U.S. Cellular, Epstein provided design and consulting services for a 2,200-square-foot space located at West 13^th Street and Ashland Avenue in Chicago, and a 2,850 square-foot space located at 2705 Illinois Route 26 South in Freeport, IL.

The 13^th Street building received LEED-CI Gold certification, and the Freeport space received LEED-CI Silver certification. These facilities will serve as templates for future U.S. Cellular LEED-certified spaces.

“This is an exciting partnership to help one of the major wireless providers in the United States take the lead in sustainable design,” says Jamie Tensbusch, LEED AP, Epstein project manager. “Epstein incorporated numerous sustainable elements and energy-efficient features, including lighting power reduction, low-emitting materials, and reduction in water usage.”

Sustainable features in U.S. Cellular’s 13^th Street Retail Outlet include:

• Highly efficient lighting that reduces the amount of energy used by 25 percent over a comparable store.
• Daylight-responsive controls, which were installed within 15 feet of the front windows, that reduce the amount of artificial light required by maximizing the use of natural daylight.
• Store furniture that is recycled from other U.S. Cellular outlets; fixtures are regionally manufactured.
• More than 90 percent of the computers, equipment, and appliances installed in the store are ENERGY STAR products, which help reduce the environmental impacts caused by excessive energy use.
• Double-flush toilets and low-flow faucets use 40-percent less water than a typical store.
• Low-VOC paints, carpet, and furniture decrease the amount of contaminants in the air.