REI Takes Its Stewardship of the Outdoors to the Next Level: A Net-Zero-Energy Distribution Center

This case study describes the development of a 400,000-square-foot net-zero-energy distribution center for the retailer REI in Goodyear, Arizona. The facility is the only distribution center in the U.S. to achieve both LEED Platinum certification and net-zero energy status, demonstrating that high-performance sustainability and business efficiency can coexist in large-scale logistics infrastructure.

• REI's distribution center in Goodyear, Arizona, is the only facility of its type in the United States to achieve both net-zero energy and LEED Platinum certification. The 400,000-square-foot building serves 60 of REI's 150 stores and accounts for more than 40 percent of the company's total sales.
• To achieve net-zero energy, the project team first implemented efficiency measures—including LED lights with motion sensors, skylights, waterless urinals, low-flush toilets, and conveyor belts that shut off automatically—and replaced water-cooled chillers with air-cooled chillers to conserve water in the desert. Following these efficiency gains, a 2.2-megawatt rooftop PV system was installed, which is one of the largest in Arizona. The system is projected to pay for itself in five years and currently produces 25–30 percent more energy than the building consumes, even during summer months with temperatures up to 120° Fahrenheit.
• The facility integrates high-tech operational efficiency with sustainability, featuring the retail industry's first omnichannel one-touch automated fulfillment system. This system allows a single worker to process items eight times faster than in a typical distribution center with increased accuracy.
• The project utilized a collaborative, integrative design process led by RMI, starting with a design charrette in February 2015 that included developers, builders, and a material handling company. This approach allowed the project to move rapidly from the initial charrette to clearing dirt two months later, with the center becoming operational in July 2016.
• Employee wellbeing was prioritized through the inclusion of a gym, café, bike storage, and a physical therapist. The warehouse maintains a temperature of 76 degrees with a 5-degree variation from floor to ceiling, and employees use 'hyperchairs' to control their own microclimate, reducing the energy required to heat or cool the entire building.

APA

RMI (2017). REI Takes Its Stewardship of the Outdoors to the Next Level: A Net-Zero-Energy Distribution Center. https://rmi.org/resources/rei-takes-stewardship-outdoors-next-level-net-zero-energy-distribution-center/

Chicago

RMI. REI Takes Its Stewardship of the Outdoors to the Next Level: A Net-Zero-Energy Distribution Center. 2017. https://rmi.org/resources/rei-takes-stewardship-outdoors-next-level-net-zero-energy-distribution-center/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=REI Takes Its Stewardship of the Outdoors to the Next Level: A Net-Zero-Energy Distribution Center |date=1 February 2017 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/rei-takes-stewardship-outdoors-next-level-net-zero-energy-distribution-center/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2017rei, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{REI Takes Its Stewardship of the Outdoors to the Next Level: A Net-Zero-Energy Distribution Center}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2017}, month = feb, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/rei-takes-stewardship-outdoors-next-level-net-zero-energy-distribution-center/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }