ROTTERDAM, N.Y. - Price Chopper Supermarkets, a Golub Corp. company, is building one of the nation’s most environmentally friendly food stores. The new store in Colonie, N.Y., will be able to generate 60 percent of its own power using UTC Power fuel cells and will be the first LEED certified supermarket in the state of New York.

“As responsible corporate citizens, we continually look to incorporate the most efficient and environmentally sound practices into our business, for the sake of our customers, associates, and the communities in which we operate,” said Neil Golub, Price Chopper president and CEO.

This supermarket, he added, “sets a new standard for environmental design, construction, and functionality within our industry. We have worked diligently with progressive partners in the business sector and government to incorporate the latest and best energy efficient technology and construction practices into the environment that we are creating around the vital fresh foods, packaged products, and services that we offer.”

The 69,000-square-foot store and pharmacy will be located in the same Colonie plaza as an existing Price Chopper store, which will be closed upon the opening of the new store. The new store’s opening is tentatively scheduled for spring of 2009.

Price Chopper partnered with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) throughout the planning of the project. NYSERDA is providing incentives through its New Construction Program. The new store will serve as a prototype for future Price Chopper supermarkets that will implement green building improvements.

The environmental initiatives at the store include:

• Installing state-of-the-art refrigeration equipment.

• Recovering heat from the refrigeration system and using it for space heating.

• Using natural lighting throughout the store to reduce electrical consumption.

• Utilizing green building materials throughout the store to reduce energy usage and the need for certain cleaning fluids and paints.

• Recycling more than 75 percent of construction waste (rather than disposing of it in landfills or incinerators).

The green measures will also help to improve the indoor air quality of the supermarket, making it a healthier place to work and to shop.

In addition, Price Chopper has selected UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. company, to provide fuel cell technology to generate approximately 60 percent of the store’s power needs. Fuel cells are one of the cleanest and quietest power-generating technologies.

The fuel cell system also will be capable of providing 400 kW of standby power if there’s a grid failure, enabling the store to operate without disruption. “Our PureCell® system will allow Price Chopper to ensure a reliable food supply for customers and protect against costly food spoilage if the grid does go down,” said Ken Fox, UTC Power vice president of on-site power solutions.

“We believe that our customers want a complete shopping experience that allows them to purchase the best food products available at the lowest prices and, if they can do that while supporting our environment, everyone wins,” said Golub.

For more information about Price Chopper, visit www.pricechopper.com. For more information about NYSERDA’s New Construction Program, visit www.nyserda.org. For more information about UTC Power, visit www.utc.com.

Publication date: 01/19/2009