In Ballard, our commitment to community takes on new life. The first Living Building Challenge (LBC) Petal Certified grocery store in the world, Ballard PCC demonstrates a love of place that shows up most poignantly at our fast-casual restaurant where we serve up sustainably sourced seafood, and in the form of a locally made, 14-foot octopus.
All wood used is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified. Our work excluding toxic chemicals from all building components was unprecedented in the grocery industry — some components had to be modified or custom designed because toxic-free options were not readily available.
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Designed to maximize the use of natural light, Ballard PCC depends less on electricity during daylight hours. Where natural light is insufficient, we use light emitting diode (LED) fixtures, which consume 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent fixtures.
Our in-store chefs and kitchen staff use ENERGY STAR Certified equipment wherever possible — our steam cookers use 60% less energy than standard models. Doors installed on refrigerated cases reduce energy use by up to 65%.
Each of our condensing boilers achieves up to 45% more efficiency than a conventional boiler. Our refrigeration system uses CO2, a natural refrigerant with a global warming potential (GWP) thousands of times lower than that of commonly used synthetic refrigerants. Heat released from the system is reclaimed and recycled.
Compared to standard models, our steam cookers use 90% less water and our dishwashers use 40% less water. We selected faucets that use 60% less water than standard faucets to achieve the same water pressure.
Ballard PCC’s electric vehicle charging stations (coming soon) contribute to a more complete EV infrastructure and a less carbon-intensive future. Surrounded by shops, restaurants, residential areas, public transit and bike routes, Ballard PCC is easy to get to and from on foot, bike or bus.
The International Living Future Institute’s habitat exchange program aggregates funds to protect large tracts of contiguous, high-value ecosystems, maximizing the impact of each contribution. PCC contributed funds to protect, in perpetuity, an area of land equivalent to Ballard PCC’s building footprint.
