REI Co-op, a national specialty outdoor retailer, announced its newest distribution center in Lebanon, Tennessee earned the prestigious LEED v4 Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. This achievement marks the first certified facility of its kind in Tennessee and the largest LEED Platinum industrial building in the Southeast. REI joins an elite group of only 10 warehouse facilities in the country to achieve this rating.
REI's Lebanon distribution center attainment of LEED v4 Platinum certification in the industrial sector demonstrates the co-op's commitment to addressing the climate crisis through responsible and sustainable business growth. By 2030 REI aspires to more than halve its greenhouse gas emissions. Last year marked the 11th year in a row of REI using 100% renewable electricity across all operations in the country. REI's Lebanon facility follows in this tradition, utilizing 100% renewable electricity through an onsite solar array and energy from a recently constructed renewable energy solar array in eastern Tennessee supported in-part by REI.
REI teamed up with Al. Neyer, a seasoned design-build developer with over 130 years of experience, to create a sustainable distribution center that fosters business growth and benefits the local community. Overseeing all development, architectural design, and construction, Al. Neyer's design-build approach ensured a smooth, collaborative process from site selection through completion. Al. Neyer has completed 22 LEED-certified projects.
"Solving the climate crisis requires intentional collaboration in pursuit of impactful solutions," said Andrew Dempsey, director of climate at REI. "Building on the success of our Goodyear, Arizona distribution center that received LEED Platinum certification, we took learnings from that project and applied them to our new distribution center in Tennessee, resulting in the state's first LEED v4 Platinum Certified building. We're grateful for the partnership with Al. Neyer, a firm with whom we share values in driving positive outcomes for our people and our communities. This collaboration resulted in an industry-leading facility that prioritizes the employee experience and upholds REI's brand values and sustainability goals."
At 400,000-square-feet and employing 275 team members, the distribution center showcases modern industrial development while prioritizing sustainability and the employee experience, through design elements that provide a productive and healthy environment aimed at supporting work, rest, and a connection to nature.
The natural features of the site and surrounding Middle Tennessee region guided the design process. Site-sourced natural and recycled materials, including reclaimed wood and metal from the original barn on site, are used throughout the interior. A polished concrete "stream" inspired by the nearby Cumberland River meanders through the office area and connects with walking paths. Other features include abundant skylights, solar panels, and systems to repurpose rainwater reduce energy and water usage.
"REI's commitment to environmental stewardship and the wellbeing of its team, combined with our team's highly collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach was really our key to success," said Patrick Poole, Nashville market leader at Al. Neyer. "It's very exciting to be part of a showpiece project that proves the potential of sustainable choices in industrial warehouse design. We hope to see other companies follow REI's lead and choose their employees, environments, and community. If we can do that, the future of industrial design looks increasingly green."
"Our Lebanon distribution center delivered on four guiding principles of people, community, sustainability and technology," said Ruchi Christensen, REI vice president of distribution and fulfillment operations. "While the LEED Platinum certification highlights our commitment to the co-op's climate strategy, we are also incredibly proud of the resulting workplace that fosters a sense of belonging through features including a community gathering space, employee gym and engaging outdoor spaces."
The distribution center was also named the 2023 Industrial Development of the Year by the NAIOP Nashville chapter and received a 2024 Urban Land Institute Nashville Excellence in Development Award earlier this year.
The Lebanon facility serves REI stores and customer online order fulfillment in the Midwest and Southeast, and complements REI's three existing distribution centers in Bedford, Pennsylvania; Goodyear, Arizona; and Sumner, Washington that serve stores and customers across the nation. REI's Bedford and Goodyear locations are also recognized by the USGBC's green building certification. Design and technology elements at the Lebanon building were inspired from the co-op's Goodyear facility, which was the first distribution center in the U.S. to achieve both LEED Platinum certification and Net Zero Energy.