The Walgreen's store built at California and Diversey Avenues is designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, a certification granted by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).Situated in an urban area off the Kennedy Expressway, the Logan Square store has a "green roof" with plants growing on it as well as a white coating to help reduce heating and cooling costs.
The store will save nearly 34,000 gallons of water a year with efficient water fixtures. During construction, 85% of waste was diverted from landfills. In addition, the site was a brownfield that was cleaned up and redeveloped for the store project, according to Walgreens.
Coolers, freezers and exterior signs all use LED lights, slashing energy use by 50% compared with the use of fluorescent lighting. The store will save enough electricity to power more than five homes a year. Also to promote energy conservation, the store has special parking for hybrid vehicles, bike racks and nearby public transportation.
