New Van Meter Inc. Iowa City Operation Blends Customer Convenience with Sustainable Building Design
February 8, 2012
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA− Customers of Van Meter Inc. will receive the royalty treatment when they visit its newly relocated facility, opening Monday, February 13, at 470 Ruppert Road, Iowa City.
The company outgrew its previous Iowa City operation on Highland Court and made the decision to purchase land on Ruppert Road near the Iowa City airport. Van Meter broke ground on the new 22,840 square foot combination warehouse-office building in July 2011.
The new facility incorporates unique features such as an indoor drive-thru that customers can use to pick up call-ahead orders without having to exit their vehicle and endure weather conditions, a high-tech training center and a large customer service sales counter. It has also allowed Van Meter to expand its local inventory levels by over 30 percent.
“We’ve been doing business with Van Meter since the early 90’s,” stated Carl Stieglitz, Utilities and Energy Management of the University of Iowa. “The new facility will offer up an extended inventory of the products we use. And the drive-thru is a novel idea.”
In addition, the building acts as a showcase of the company’s energy efficient products. It has been registered and is in the process to become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
The building features everything from high-end LED lighting and controls, and a geothermal heating and cooling system to electric vehicle charging stations and a 14 kilowatt solar system. The building’s performance will be monitored and measured so performance can be viewed and controlled remotely.
The building consumes 57 percent less energy than a building of similar size built to current state energy and building codes. This translates to an annual savings of approximately $17,504. The remaining energy consumption is significantly offset with solar energy.
“Working with energy, it’s great to see other companies embracing sustainability,” added Stieglitz.
Van Meter Inc. is an electrical and mechanical distributor of supplies, services and solutions. The 100 percent employee-owned company is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with 12 locations throughout the state. It serves the construction, commercial, industrial and institutional markets.
Contact: Erin Koester, Marketing Manager at 319-368-2890 or EKoester@vanmeterinc.com
