Every month, the San Diego Food Bank accomplishes the gargantuan task of providing food to over 370,000 people, nearly equivalent to the entire population of Cleveland, Ohio! Making this absolutely incredible operation possible are hundreds of devoted volunteers, millions of donated dollars, and a sustainability mindset.
Boasting a brand-new LEED v4 Gold status certification, the San Diego Food Bank is on its’ way to becoming the “greenest” food bank in the US. This 40 year old institution has already been honored for its forward thinking energy saving efforts at San Diego Gas & Electric’s (SDG&E) 12th Annual Energy Showcase awards ceremony. This event showcases businesses that are committed to making an impact on reducing their carbon footprint and improving the environmental quality of San Diego area communities.
For both environmental protection and cost savings, grocers, food banks, and other cold storage facilities need energy efficient solutions. As a leader in highly efficient cold storage solutions, Viking Cold helped the San Diego Food Bank save so much on their electrical bill, they were able to provide 875,000 additional meals to those in need last year alone. It’s safe to say that being green never tasted so good.
What is LEED v4?
Over the past 20 years, LEED certification has become the international standard for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance structures. LEED v4 is the newest version, with higher standards and a more flexible, performance-based approach to design, operations and maintenance that calls for measurable results throughout a building’s life cycle. There’s an expanded focus on metering and monitoring, encouraging building owners to actively track energy, water, and ventilation rates.
Going for Gold
As part of the food bank’s LEED v4 Gold certification, inspectors audited checklists to reduce water and waste, increase energy efficiency, and incorporate ‘greener’ practices into the food bank’s daily operations. Historically, refrigeration was one of the food bank’s largest energy expenditures. But after installing phase change materials to allow for the refrigeration compressors to be shut off for extended periods of time, there was an impressive 40% drop in energy usage. These massive cost savings provided hundreds of thousands of extra meals to the city’s communities, while keeping San Diego’s ecosystem cleaner.
Viking Cold is proud to have played an important role in the San Diego Food Bank’s LEED v4 Gold certification and is ready to help any cold storage facility take the next steps towards this important, and prestigious, energy saving accreditation.
Learn more about the Benefits of Thermal Energy Storage.
