CHICAGO – It’s no play on words to say that the roof crowning the new Testa Produce, Inc. distribution center is “green.” In fact, 50 percent of the 91,300-square-foot facility’s roof is actually green: It’s a vegetated, barrel-sloped roof custom-designed for Testa Produce by Lawrence Dziurdzik of Illinois-based Allen L. Kracower & Associates and representatives from Philadelphia-based Roofmeadow. The roof was installed and is maintained by Robert Ebl, Inc., a Chicago-based landscaper specializing in green roofs.
Now nearing the end of its first growing season, the roof’s plants — various drought-resistant sedum species — have taken root and begun working to make the building more sustainable, in part by preventing rainwater runoff. All water not used by the plants is filtered into Testa’s internal water cistern to be used for non-potable purposes throughout the building, such as toilet flushing. Additional benefits include the plants’ emission of oxygen, which contributes to cleaner air; efficient, sustainable insulation; reduction of the city’s heat island effect; and decreased heat waste emissions. The roof’s unique sloped design also lends a distinctly “green” identity to building’s entrance.
The new Testa Produce distribution center, located in the Chicago Stockyards Industrial Park, is in line to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest available LEED® rating — Platinum certification. It was designed by Epstein architects, Summit Design + Build served as construction manager, and WBS Equities served as owner’s project consultant. Financing was provided by MB Bank. All are local Chicago-based concerns. For more information and to see photos of the facility, visit www.testaproduce.com or Testa’s Facebook page.
Testa Produce: Founded in 1912, Testa Produce, Inc. is Chicago’s premier independent produce distributor. In addition to a broad line of domestic, local, organic, sustainable, and imported fresh produce items, the company delivers frozen, canned, and specialty foods to fine restaurants, hotels, and institutions throughout Illinois and much of Wisconsin. Testa is a member of both PRO*ACT, the foodservice industry’s largest produce buying and marketing organization, and Legacy Foodservice Alliance.
Source: Testa Produce
