Advertise | About Us | My Account | Log In

 

Around Town

Peet's makes the green scene

   
    Local roaster Peet’s Coffee & Tea is known for its rich, bold alternative to ubiquitous Starbucks for morning pick-me-ups, but with its new $17 million roastery at The Waterfront at Harbor Bay, it might also become known for its environmental stewardship.
    In April the company will open a 138,000-square-foot building that incorporates green building practices inside and out. From sustainably harvested lumber, recycled materials, and efficient lighting to permeable native landscaping that filters rainwater and allows it to seep into the ground instead of flowing into storm drains, the building will be the second structure on the Island certified by the Leadership in Energy and             Environmental Design  (known as LEED for short) Green Build­ing Rating System.
    Peet’s, says Jim Grimes, vice president of operations, always envisioned its new building would be green. “We knew that since we’re building something new, we have a unique opportunity. We asked, ‘What can we do from an environmental standpoint?’ In the bigger picture, when you look at green, it benefits all, and there’s always a return on that investment.”
    The building was designed by the San Francisco firm Fee Munson Ebert to be as efficient as possible. For instance, the building re-circulates heat from the roasting process to cut down on gas use, and the plumbing fixtures are low-flow and include waterless urinals. Builders incorporated recycled materials wherever possible, and construction waste was recycled. “Low-emitting” paints and carpets were chosen that reduce the amount of off-gassing, and special lights are designed to minimize nighttime light pollution. Coffee grounds and waste will be mixed in with the mulch used to maintain the landscaping around the building. And preferred parking spaces will be set aside for hybrid cars—right next to the bike racks.
    The building will showcase its roastery by being open for public tours and have a gift shop and picnic area. The sustainable landscaping, designed by the Sausalito firm April Philips Design Works, will include innovative bioswales—a system of vegetation that filters rainwater before it hits the stormwater drains—and walkways that are imprinted with some of Peet’s existing iconography, providing graceful ways for the building to functionally integrate with its landscaping.
    “First we want a fusion of art and nature, then we think about how people flow through the space,” says April Philips, the landscape architect. “We want people to get it, not feel like you’re in nature, but a more idealized version; one that uses textures, fragrances, colors, to make it a soothing environment for people to have a good experience.”