Phalen is where it's at

For all you fellow St. Paul residents who faithfully shop at Cub...we have "the first store in the country to obtain gold-level certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use of green refrigeration technology," reports the Greener Buildings Staff at Greenbiz.com.

The store residing in the Phalen neighborhood is now seeking to possibly become Minnesota's first LEED Gold certified grocery store.

"The new Cub Foods store in Saint Paul's Phalen neighborhood uses 65 percent less refrigeration than the industry standard. And its LED lights in refrigerated cases use 35 percent less energy and are motion-activated, shutting off when no one is in the aisle.

Other green elements at the store include 44 skylights that illuminate 75 percent of regularly occupied space and use a solar powered GPS system to track and redirect sunlight as needed; use of LED lights in the parking lot — a first among commercial parking sites in the state and a move that provides a 50 percent energy savings, a landscape irrigation system that uses 50 percent less water than conventional systems, shower rooms to encourage employees to bike, walk or snow-shoe to work, and polished concrete floors, which do not require waxing."

Cub Foods Bags EPA Gold rating