COLONIE — Golub Corp. officials Thursday unveiled plans for what will become the most environmentally-friendly supermarket its 116-store Price Chopper chain.

The Golub Corp. broke ground Thursday for a new Price Chopper store on Central Avenue in Colonie that company CEO Neil Golub said will combine the elements of a modern store with the company's sustainability efforts.
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The Rotterdam-based chain recently started construction on the prototype “green” supermarket, which will replace the Price Chopper in the Colonie Plaza and is being built at the opposite end of the L-shaped shopping center.

“We’re going to try everything in Colonie, and we’re going to validate it. It’s right in our backyard,” said Bill Sweet, vice president of engineering and construction for Golub Corp.

Sweet said the 69,000-square-foot store will be equipped with a massive fuel cell capable of generating 75 percent of the supermarket’s power. It will also feature a biohydrator that will biodegrade fish, meat and vegetable scraps, easy-to-clean without harsh chemicals colored concrete floors and skylights for “sun harvesting.”

Together, those initiative and others will make the Colonie Price Chopper the first Leadership in Energy Efficient Design (LEED) certified grocery store in the state.