Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op in Elk Grove

No, this is not a pre-St. Patrick's Day event.  The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-ops new Elk Grove location will be the site of a tour and discussion of the challenges facing "green building."  Learn about the construction of a truly "green" building from the Northern California Chapter of the United States Green Building Councils Sacramento's Emerging Green Builders.

The evening will start with a welcome and discussion from the Co-op General Manager and Store Manager on what it takes to be on the cutting edge of grocery design.  This will be followed by a discussion from the design firm, Ekistics Design Studio, about how they approached the project and what guided their decision making process.  This will all be followed by a tour of the facility and delicious food for spirited networking.   

The Co-op's Elk Grove store is a 20,000-square-foot example of how the Co-op is accomplishing their goal to model sustainable practices in their business. The new, state-of-the-art building is energy-efficient and features many green design elements with many natural materials used during its construction.

Some Green Design Facts:

• The Co-op is SMUD's largest business user of the Greenergy Program, paying a premium to purchase 100% of its electrical power from renewable resources;
• Indirect-Direct Heating & Cooling System: 30-50% more energy efficient than traditional systems;
• Lighting Controls System: Motion sensors throughout the store determine lighting needs to reduce energy consumption;
• Natural Lighting: Nineteen skylights and the south-facing, storefront window wall reduces energy to light and cool the store;
• Warehouse Refrigeration: Sensors minimize energy waste and produce hot water at no cost;
• Building Insulation: Made from 100% recycled blue jeans;
• Rubber Floor: Made from recycled tires, the rubber is 100% post-consumer waste from America's landfills;
• Cork Floor: Made from cork trees that never need to be cut down to make cork products;
• Carpeting: Plastic-residue free, made from a water-based product;
• Counter Tops: Made from layered paper compressed and baked to form solid sheets; non-toxic adhesive;
• Particle Board Cabinets: Made from "eco label" certified (ecologically protected) forest trees;
• Bamboo Cabinets: Endures harsh conditions;
• Cabinets: Made with natural products rather than chemically-treated wood.

Event begins at 7:30PM on March 9, 2006.  It is free but please RSVP to Panama Bartholomy at Panama@ccc.ca.gov as soon as possible because space is limited.  The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op is located at in the Elk Grove Marketplace - 8517 Bond Road, Elk Grove, CA 95624.