Simons opens first eco-friendly store

Quebec-based retailer La Maison Simons is going eco-friendly with the opening of its first net-zero energy store.

The single floor, 80,000-square-foot store opened at the Galeries de la Capital, Quebec City's largest mall, last week and was designed to generate as much energy on site as it currently consumes. The store will replace a smaller Simons store that opened at the mall back in 1981, the third Simons store ever built.

The new store design includes exclusive features to significantly reduce the spaces overall greenhouse gas emission including 27 geothermal wells that were dug in the mall's parking lot to generate the equivalent of 80,000 kWh of energy, along with a solar electricity system that will generate over 1,300,000 kWh/year, equaling the consumption of 50 houses.

“Building a net-zero energy store is the result of a six-year journey spent learning, understanding, and discussing our company’s role and responsibilities towards the environment,” said Peter Simons, co-owner and president of Simons.

Designed by Toronto-based design firm Designstead, the store also has a new layout aloowing for a wider selection of merchandise. Divided into two sections, women's fashion can be found on one side, and men's fashion and Simons Maison on the other. Meanwhile, accessories and a shoe department can be found between the two spaces.

The new simons store opened in the mall’s new Simons Wing that will house other new retailers including Jean-Paul Fortin, Vero Moda, Ernest, women’s fashion store San Francisco and more.

The mall has been under-going an expansion and modernization process since 2014. Since the first phase of redevelopment, over $210 million in investments have been announced for various projects, including renovating the Méga Parc, revamping common areas, modernizing the Espace Gourmet dining area, developing the Simons Wing and the “next generation” Simons department store, and bringing in a number of new stores.

“Galeries de la Capitale is extremely proud to welcome the first net-zero energy Simons store in Canada and we’re all the more proud to have taken this opportunity to innovate and once again demonstrate our commitment to maintaining our dominant position as a leader in the Quebec City retail market,” said Stéphan Landry, executive director of Galeries de la Capitale.

Simons opens first eco-friendly store

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