March 19, 2014—QA Graphics, an Iowa-based interactive design firm, recently announced that through its contract with Hy-Vee, Inc., to provide interactive technology to help engage and educate consumers about the supermarket’s sustainability efforts, QA Graphics has created a Web site dedicated to sustainability and healthy living, as well as Sustainable Building Dashboards to share sustainability and energy information with customers.
QA Graphics has been working with Hy-Vee, an employee-owned corporation operating 236 supermarket and drugstores in eight Midwestern states, since 2010. Hy-Vee is working to more fully engage its customers, employees and supply chain in its efforts to become more sustainable in how it builds, operates and stocks its stores, says QA Graphics.
To meet its sustainability goals, Hy-Vee has prioritized its efforts around five key areas: green building, energy and resource conservation, waste reduction and recycling, products and sourcing, and packaging and the supply chain.
As a result of these efforts, all new Hy-Vee stores are designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, the U.S. Green Building Council’s nationally recognized standard for measuring building sustainability. New stores include a number of sustainable features, including concrete floors, extensive use of natural and highly efficient lighting, and on-site electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. A number of energy monitoring and reduction strategies are used to enhance building energy efficiency.
Programs are also in place for the recycling of a variety of materials, including construction waste, store consumables and a food recovery program in which a large amount of edible food is donated, while inedible food is diverted from landfills. Hy-Vee is also increasing its focus on sourcing local, sustainable, and natural and organic products and recently announced its new responsible sourcing commitment (Responsible Choice) aimed at improving the sustainability of its seafood.
To keep consumers informed, Hy-Vee looked to QA Graphics to develop Hy-Vee360, a Web site dedicated to sustainability and healthy living, and Sustainable Building Dashboards, which are interactive touch screen displays with information about a building’s sustainable features and real-time energy use, at all new store locations. Hy-Vee360 provides detailed information about company-wide sustainability efforts as well as the chain’s efforts to help customers adopt more healthy lifestyles. The Web site also features a frequently asked questions section and a blog highlighting the latest news on both fronts.
Customers are engaged at the store level as well. Displayed at eight, and soon to be 11 Midwest stores, the Sustainable Building Dashboards provide a three-dimensional (3D) layout of a store showing where sustainable features can be found. Interactive demonstrations illustrate how daylighting, cool roofs and car-charging stations function. A checklist details how each store was designed to meet LEED certification guidelines. Real-time data illustrates how much electricity is being used throughout the store and also provides energy savings comparisons.
QA Graphics notes that it has provided similar educational solutions for other local organizations, including the Franklin Library, the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates, Iowa Utility Building, Grinnell Library and others. QA Graphics specializes in interactive applications, 3D design and animation, mobile app development and other multimedia. The company is also a leader in the building automation and green building industries, providing HVAC graphic development services and energy dashboards to help organizations educate occupants about building performance and sustainability.
