GOING GREEN
Fashionably Responsible — more than a marketing tagline
La Palmera is always working to be a good steward of the environment. We are an IREM® Certified Sustainable Property, meaning we are recognized for green building performance efforts and working with our tenants for improved sustainability in our day-to-day operations, including energy, water, health, recycling, and purchasing categories.
Precious Metals
Following its initial two-year $50 million renovation (2008-2010), the mall was awarded LEED Silver for Core and Shell 2.0 in 2011, the first indoor mall in the U.S. to receive the prestigious designation by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
P.F. Chang’s at La Palmera also received LEED® Gold certification for Commercial Interiors for its use of sustainable materials in building the restaurant and is the first P.F. Chang’s location to receive LEED certification.
Everything Old Is New Again
La Palmera was able to reduce its carbon footprint by reusing 95% of the existing mall during its two-year renovation (2008-2010) and was able to recycle or reuse 75% of its construction waste.
A Breath Of Fresh Air
La Palmera has worked to improve the air quality for our guests and employees with an Indoor Air Quality Management Plan that includes a smoke-free environment and use of low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and materials such as paints, adhesives, sealants, and carpets.
Pitching In
La Palmera shops and restaurants do their part by recycling paper, glass, plastic, cardboard and aluminum, diverting an average of 120 tons annually from the landfill — that’s enough to cover 2,410 football fields. Our waste grease trap program also diverts more than 1.1 million pounds of solids from the landfill to a composting material program each year.
Sign Of The Times
We provide preferred “e” parking spaces to low-emitting vehicles (LEV) and fuel-efficient vehicles.
All Charged Up
EV drivers can charge while they shop with charging stations located adjacent to the mall’s exterior wall in the parking area between JCPenney and Macy’s. In addition to a more traditional charger, we also offer a High Power Connector for Tesla Model S vehicles, the first, and currently only, free Tesla public destination charging location in the Coastal Bend.
What Does It All Mean?
It means La Palmera’s design and programs do more in terms of:
energy savings
water efficiency
CO2 emissions reduction
improved indoor environmental quality
stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impact
It’s In The Bag
Reusable shopping bags, available for purchase at the Concierge desk, help to reduce the use of plastic bags.
Making A Splash
La Palmera has reduced its water usage by 46% with low-flow toilets and faucets reducing daily usage by nearly 3,000 gallons. And, our Center Court fountain re-circulates 1,000 gallons of water approximately 28 times a day.
A Growing Concern
By using native and adapted plants, drip irrigation for all areas except lawns, and automated controllers with rain and freeze sensors we use about 50% less water for irrigation than standard developments of this size.
Let There Be Light
Low-energy lighting and more efficient Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning cuts our energy use by 35%. Plus, the use of natural light, including windows and solar tubes, saves approximately 1.4 million kilowatts annually, enough to power 100 homes for an entire year.
