New Pi Cedar Rapids: Iowa's Sustainable Grocery Store

Environmental Sustainability a High Priority in Cedar Rapids Project

New Pi Cedar Rapids is starting to look like a grocery store! New Pi’s aim, of course, is to complete the project as environmentally consciously as possible. A few of the environmentally sustainable design aspects are:

Storm water management is of obvious import, particularly in Cedar Rapids. New Pi’s store parking lot will include a bioswale – a planting of native vegetation, also known as a bioretention area, grassy swale, or filter strip – to mitigate, collect, and filter storm water runoff. Parking Lot & Bioswale Work: It will help with water management (particularly flash flood water management), so important these days.

There are doors on New Pi’s refrigerated cases. Refrigeration accounts for about 2/3 of the store’s energy costs, so putting doors on them keeps the cold air in, cutting energy use significantly. Interior lighting is another area where choices have sustainability significance. New Pi Cedar Rapids will utilize LEDs in interior lighting as well has high efficiency fluorescents.

All in all, sustainability factors into all of New Pi’s choices. New Pi is working hard to be the area’s environmentally conscious grocery store, doing its part for a greener tomorrow.

New Pioneer Cooperative Society was founded as a natural foods cooperative grocery in Iowa City in 1971, opened its Coralville branch in 2001, and will open a third store in Cedar Rapids before the holidays in 2014. Today, New Pi is a thriving two-store food co-op with over 31,000 members-owners. The stores provide local, organic, and natural foods to the Iowa City and Coralville area and everyone is welcome to shop – owner or not. New Pi is located at 22 S. Van Buren St. in Iowa City, at 1101 2nd St. in Coralville, and will be at 3338 Center Point Road NE in Cedar Rapids. Please visit NewPi.coop for more information.