Sustainability
We believe in building a better Market. That means providing a place everyone can be proud of, Mother Earth included.
We take our commitment to environmental practices seriously. The experience we provide means nothing if we aren’t doing what we can to limit the effect we have on our surroundings.
Inside and outside, from ground to rooftop, we put thoughtful effort into making an environmentally-friendly facility. Because of that, we are proud to be the first LEED-certified market in the country. Our energy-conserving choices paired with our applied technology make the building better, the air cleaner, and the waste we produce smaller.
From the beginning, we wanted to utilize creative ways to run the Market efficiently, re-use what we can, and dispose of what we can’t—responsibly.
Environmental Efforts
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Our 5,000 square foot green roof, 1,400 square foot exterior live wall, 225 square foot interior live wall all work together to reduce our energy cost.
We have optimized our energy performance through energy Star rated kitchen equipment. Fundamental refrigeration management, individual vendor metering, and advanced HVAC/food service equipment allow us to monitor our energy usage effectively.
We have a high efficiency building envelope which gives us high-level control over temperature, humidity, air, noise, and energy expenditure
Our fifty 400 foot geo-thermal well system provides 2/3 of building’s heating and cooling needs, yielding tens of thousands in energy savings per year. LED lighting throughout the building also results in large energy cost savings annually.
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Here at the Market, we collect, store, and reuse rainwater to keep our plants and grounds healthy and reduce our need for valuable fresh water. We also ensured our parking lot’s porous pavement controls runoff and prevents harmful pollutants from reaching nearby rivers, lakes, and streams.
The quantity and quality control of our storm water design, low flow plumbing fixtures, and high efficiency boilers and water heaters all reduce our water use substantially.
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We’re doing our part to keep landfills a little less filled through a variety of initiatives and technologies. Our programs for better recycling include the storage and collection of recyclables, on-site cardboard compactor, dedicated bottle/can receptacles, and more.
We are a proud member of the local community. We strive to uplift it, support it, and become a gathering place for its wonderful population.
Community impact
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Market Hall merchants purchase local ingredients whenever they can. Buying local saves them money on transportation, reduces the distance food has to travel, which limits pollution.
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We have a mission to support local food culture and create a space for entrepreneurs to thrive. This benefits both the food community we have within our walls and the Grand Rapids economy.
Each of our merchants are independently-run small businesses that work hard to provide the best quality of products they can.
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Whether you bike, bus, walk, run, skip, or unicycle, we make getting to the Market convenient as could be. Here are a few ways we’re helping to make the commute a little better (and a little greener).
On-site bike racks and bike repair station.
We are conveniently included on the DASH route (free public transportation).
From the cleaning solutions we use, to the people we employ to use them, we actively make decisions that positively affect our surroundings for years to come.
Investing in the future
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Materials matter. When you look around the Market, you’ll be looking at building materials that contribute to our LEED accreditation including low VOC emitting materials, recycled content, regional materials, repurposed wood used throughout the building.
We also adhere to strict tenant design and construction guidelines and a non-smoking campus.
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Cleaning products and Mother Earth don’t always get along. That’s why we use sustainable products made from naturally-derived ingredients. We believe it’s a smart way to keep everything tidy without compromising our integrity.
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The jobs created by the businesses inside the Market (and the Market itself) support the local working population by teaching skills and fostering career paths that otherwise would not exist. We are proud to invest in the future of the many wonderful people that work here.