Vestar, a leading privately held shopping center owner and manager in the western United States, continues to push boundaries in sustainability, reaffirming its dedication to creating healthy, vibrant communities through its proprietary GreenSTAR Program.
This Earth Day, Vestar proudly reports favorable outcomes from the Cool Pavement Project that launches sustainable activations across 60-plus properties and continues to seek innovative solutions that will reduce its environmental impact portfolio-wide.
After launching the Cool Pavement Project in 2023 alongside Arizona State University’s Southwest Integrated Field Laboratory (SW-IFL), Vestar is pleased to report positive results eight months later. Among these results is a maximum 14-degree reduction in surface temperatures, which would help lower the Urban Heat Island affect. The partnership comes on the heels of recent record-breaking temperatures in Arizona, and was designed to test the effectiveness of the innovative water-based asphalt coating, CoolSeal by GuardTop.
The pilot program, the first of its kind at a commercial retail center, involved comparing findings from a 2-acre testing area at Desert Ridge Marketplace, alongside its traditional blacktop surfaces. Strategically placed sensors were installed throughout the 1.2 million-square-foot retail center, both above and underground, where data was collected on an hourly basis.
Measurements of subsurface temperatures were conducted using sensors positioned 2 inches below ground, while air sensors were strategically placed and collected from varying heights from about 10 inches to up to 6 feet.
Findings revealed the traditional dark seal coat absorbed more than 95% of the heat, whereas, the cool paving product absorbed less, about 70% of that energy. The difference resulted in an overall reduction in the near-surface air temperature. Additional readings were gathered through helicopter flyovers and a specialized vehicle system that systematically traversed the parking lot.
“Vestar remains committed to seeking new solutions that will enhance our GreenSTAR program, and we are excited to reach this milestone with the Cool Pavement Project. Our commitment to sustainability drives us to continuously improve and inspire others to join us in our efforts to protect the planet. As we celebrate this Earth Day, we reaffirm our dedication to creating a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come," said Miles Sanchez, chief operating officer of Vestar.
Vestar's GreenSTAR Sustainability program, established in 2005, has been instrumental in guiding the company's sustainability initiatives for nearly two decades, ultimately reducing its energy usage by 14% across its portfolio of new and existing properties.
By collaborating with architects and environmental consultants, Vestar has implemented a variety of best practices, including the use of energy-efficient building materials, solar power, water harvesting systems, white "cool" roofs, artificial turf, LED lighting, onsite recycling and composting facilities, drip system landscaping and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, now at more than 80% of its properties.
This month, each of Vestar’s 60-plus properties will be hosting special Earth Day events and activations, designed to bring the community together to instill a sense of environmental stewardship amongst their guests. Captivating green art exhibitions, upcycle installations, educational series for kids, I Recycle events, inspiring fashion shows and exciting giveaways are among the various events planned at Vestar properties to spread awareness of eco-friendly living and sustainability best practices.
Participation has already kicked off for some of the planned events, including the reFABRICate fashion show at Tempe Marketplace on Saturday, April 20. On this day designers will present the creations they have worked on since January. This is a great opportunity not only to showcase the work of upcoming fashion designers but also to show that recycled material can be fashionable.
This is the third year the upcycle design show has been held, featuring designers from across Arizona and their fashion projects that remake materials found at Goodwill into high fashion. This year’s theme of Denim targets one of the least sustainable clothing materials.
Earth Day is also being celebrated all month long at Desert Ridge Marketplace as EcoBloom has taken over The District near H&M and The Splash Pad with a sustainable art installation featuring hanging ivy made from recycled water bottles and pops of spring florals.
In addition, many tenants have been working diligently on sustainability efforts including H&M, which offers a garment collection program to recycle and repair clothes and Sephora’s Beauty (Re)Purposed program that collects empty makeup containers to give them a second life.
As a national leader in real estate operations, development and management, Vestar is committed to reducing the environmental footprint to support healthy, vibrant communities.
For more information about Vestar and its sustainability initiatives, visit vestar.com/sustainability.
