Walgreen Co. this week opened the second of five planned drug stores that adhere to certification guidelines for environmental efficiency and design.

The new store in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood is designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, a certification granted by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Another LEED-registered store is slated to open in Illinois early next year, Walgreens said.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreen Co. on Wednesday opened the second of five planned drug stores registered to meet certification for environmental efficiency and design.

The new store in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, near the intersection of California and Diversey streets, is designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, a certification granted by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to Walgreens.

The chain opened its first LEED-registered store in Mira Mesa, Calif., in June. The next one is slated to open in Normal, Ill., early next year, and another two locations will follow, the company said.

Situated in an urban area off the Kennedy Expressway, the Logan Square store has a "green roof" with plants growing on it as well as a white coating to help reduce heating and cooling costs.

The store will save nearly 34,000 gallons of water a year with efficient water fixtures. During construction, 85% of waste was diverted from landfills. In addition, the site was a brownfield that was cleaned up and redeveloped for the store project, according to Walgreens.

Coolers, freezers and exterior signs all use LED lights, slashing energy use by 50% compared with the use of fluorescent lighting. The store will save enough electricity to power more than five homes a year. Also to promote energy conservation, the store has special parking for hybrid vehicles, bike racks and nearby public transportation.

The Logan Square store is registered under the LEED Green Building Rating System and will be reviewed by the USGBC and given a specific level of certification in four to six months, the company said.

"It may look like a regular Walgreens from the outside, but once you take a closer look it really is green from the ground up," Walgreens district manager Steven DiLullo said in a statement. "Customers can find informational signs inside that highlight these [environmental] features so they can feel good about what we’re doing and where they shop."

Walgreens added that its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint also include the use of solar panel systems on 74 of its stores in California, Connecticut, New Jersey and Oregon.