April is Earth Month, with April 22 designated as Earth Day, but at La Palmera, green initiatives are standard operation 365 days a year.
“Recycling and sustainability are top of mind at La Palmera as the first indoor mall to be LEED® certified by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2011,” said La Palmera General Manager Amanda Sanchez. “We are also a designated IREM® Certified Sustainable Property, recognized for green building performance efforts and working with our tenants for improved sustainability in day-to-day operations.”
From recycling, energy and water conservation, indoor air quality and more, La Palmera maintains green and sustainable policies and programs to improve the environment, the guest experience and the mall’s bottom line.
“Through our efforts and those of our tenants, we divert approximately 120 tons from the landfill each year through the tenant recycling program alone, which is enough to cover more than 2,400 football fields,” said Sanchez. “We also manage water and energy savings, and CO2 emissions reduction daily and provide complimentary EV charging stations for our guests. We pay bills like everyone else and what was initially spent on these efforts has been more than offset by the annual energy and water savings alone, not to mention the goodwill it creates with our guests.”
Low-energy lighting and more efficient Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning cuts energy use by 35%. and the use of natural light, including windows and solar tubes, saves approximately 1.4 million kilowatts annually, enough to power 100 homes for an entire year.
Water conservation is key in the Texas Coastal Bend, where water restrictions can sometimes be implemented and a new water desalination plant is in the works to meet the ever-growing needs of the Corpus Christi area. La Palmera is doing its part, using roughly 46% less water than malls of similar size, with low-flow toilets and faucets reducing daily usage by nearly 3,000 gallons, and the Center Court fountain re-circulating 1,000 gallons of water approximately 28 times a day. Water is also saved through the landscape use of native and adapted plants, drip irrigation for all areas except lawns, and automated controllers with rain and freeze sensors, resulting in approximately 50% less water for irrigation than similar-sized developments.
La Palmera has worked to improve the air quality for guests and employees with an Indoor Air Quality Management Plan that includes a smoke-free environment and the use of low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and materials such as paints, adhesives, sealants, and carpets.
In addition to the tenant recycling program for paper, glass, plastic, cardboard and aluminum, the mall’s waste grease trap program also diverts more than 1.1 million pounds of solids each year from the landfill to a composting material program.
Beyond mall programs, several tenants have their own green initiatives and achievements, including P.F. Chang’s which received LEED® Gold certification for Commercial Interiors for its use of sustainable materials in building the restaurant and is the first P.F. Chang’s location to receive LEED certification. H&M offers clothing collection and recycling; lululemon makes products with sustainable materials, buys back gently worn items for resale, and works to reduce their emissions; and Lush, which focuses on water and energy reduction in producing its products and forgoes packaging whenever possible.
In keeping with its commitment to the environment, and community partners, La Palmera also partners with local organizations throughout the year, including Goodwill Industries of South Texas, hosting their annual E-Waste Recycling event on Saturday, April 19, in a mall parking area. In 2024, Goodwill collected and diverted more than 105 tons of toxic e-waste from local landfills, safely recycling it through their Dell Reconnect partnership. This year, the goal is to double the amount collected, so La Palmera came on board to help reach that goal.
“What we have learned is that being green and sustainable —‘fashionably responsible,” as we like to call it — is not difficult to implement,” said Sanchez. “It’s more about setting realistic goals, developing programs that work for your property and tenants, and then sticking with it. We may not save the planet with the programs we have in place, but if everyone does something in our own communities, collectively, we can make a difference beyond.”
About La Palmera
Located in Corpus Christi, Texas, La Palmera is a 1 million-square-foot super-regional mall with more than 100 retail and restaurant tenants including Dillard’s, JCPenney, Macy’s, P.F. Chang’s and H&M. Acquired in July 2008 by IMI and Trademark Property, La Palmera is the first mall to be awarded LEED® Silver for Core and Shell 2.0 established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is an IREM Certified Sustainable Property. The mall features a 600-seat food court with a 4,500-gallon feature aquarium and a children’s ocean-themed play area. For more information on La Palmera, go to www.lapalmera.com, or call (361) 991-3755.
About Trademark Property Company:
Trademark Property Company is a full-service real estate firm focused on investments, development, and institutional services of retail, multifamily, office and mixed-use properties. Fort Worth, Texas-based Trademark has invested in, developed, or redeveloped 21 million square feet of mixed-use, multifamily, and retail assets worth $4.6 billion. Trademark’s experienced team of more than 134 employees is currently responsible for a 17-property portfolio of over 8.2 million feet of mixed-use and retail projects across the country. A three-decade leader in navigating the changing mixed-use real estate landscape, Trademark’s purpose is to be extraordinary stewards, enhance communities and enrich lives. For more information, visit www.trademarkproperty.com or interact on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
View the original article and our Inspiration here
Leave a Reply