USGBC Awards LEED Gold Certification to UNFI

United Natural Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: UNFI) is pleased to announce that its York, PA distribution center has been awarded LEED® Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

The 675,000 square foot distribution facility is located at the Greenspring Industrial Park in York, PA and is the largest facility in the Company's distribution network.  Focused on efficient water and energy use as well as resource conservation, some of the steps UNFI took to achieve gold certification included:

• Over 60% of building materials sourced from regional suppliers;
• Diversion of over 95% of construction waste from local landfills;
• Building materials used during construction contained over 35% recycled content;
• Installing a cistern to store 20,000 gallons of diverted rainwater to use for facilitation of the center's refrigeration system;
• Water use reduction of over 40% using motion-activated sensors and flow controls throughout the building.

"Our associates continue to make significant strides in reducing our impact on the environment by incorporating sustainability in all of our business practices. This LEED® certification is another example of UNFI's commitment to utilizing environmentally-friendly design and construction practices," commented Steve Spinner, UNFI's President and Chief Executive Officer.

"UNFI's LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "The urgency of USGBC's mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and United Natural Foods serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish."

UNFI partnered with ARCO Design/Build, Inc of Atlanta, GA to provide sustainable design and site planning for the York distribution center, which commenced operations in the Fall of 2008.  Jake M. Stefan, Vice President at ARCO Design/Build, Inc. commented, "UNFI and its 'Green team' is an incredibly dedicated and driven group that is deeply committed to extending environmentally sustainable initiatives.  Their attention to detail and willingness to find the answers are what helped to make the project a success for all involved.  UNFI sets an example for the industry by letting their actions speak for them."

"Implementing new technologies both during construction and in building management is just one of the ways that we make sure we're doing the right things for the environment even as we continue to grow as an organization," said Tom Dziki, Vice President of Sustainable Development.  "Over 70% of all electronic equipment and appliances in the York facility are ENERGY STAR rated.  This and other technologies we've employed enable this facility to reduce lighting power density by more than 25% when compared with a typical building of the same size."

The York distribution center is UNFI's second LEED® certified distribution facility.   In 2009, UNFI's Ridgefield, WA distribution center was recognized with LEED® Gold certification.  The Company is also pursuing LEED® Silver certification for its new headquarters in Providence, RI and LEED® Gold at a new 590,000 square foot distribution center that is being constructed in Lancaster, Texas.

Source: http://www.unfi.com/