Sustainable retail development: A case study of Mountain Equipment Co-op.

摘要

This practicum explores the concept of sustainable retail development and seeks out innovative approaches that can be employed by retailers, retail developers and urban planners to create more sustainable retail environments in Canadian cities. This is achieved in part through a case study of how a notable Canadian retailer, Mountain Equipment Co-op, addresses the negative social, environmental and economic implications of predominant retail development practices. Although the concept of 'sustainable retailing' encompasses an extremely broad number of considerations which may include product sourcing, transportation and manufacturing standards, materials recycling, building construction and customer and employee satisfaction; this practicum focuses on the issues of 'sustainable retail development' from an urban planning perspective. These considerations include the economic, environmental and social impacts of site location and development decisions of retailers. The intention of this practicum is to promote change both locally and globally through the encouragement of more sustainable retail development initiatives at the district, block, site and community scales.;Key words. Mountain Equipment Co-op, sustainable, retail development.;The conclusion of the practicum implies that planning and development considerations can have a significant impact towards achieving more sustainable retail development. The recommendations suggest that to realize positive outcomes, a municipality should adopt a comprehensive set of policies and guidelines that directly support sustainable development practices. Policy documents such as official plans, neighbourhood plans and zoning bylaws should be consistent with sustainability objectives, and should be supported by a variety of other planning tools including community collaboration, capital investment in mature areas, urban design standards and the encouragement of green building initiatives. The recommendations for retail developers stress the importance of utilizing a more strategic approach to site location and development considerations, including utilizing complimentary and co-location strategies, connecting with the local community to provide benefits beyond a retail amenity, exploring options for infill opportunities, and implementing green building or other technological innovations.