WEST CHESTERFIELD, N.H.—Pete's Tire Barns Inc. has opened a commercial/retail tire store in West Chesterfield that's brimming with “green” features, such as geothermal heating and cooling, to cut energy use.
The dealership, one of the largest commercial dealers in New England, also is looking at solar panels, solar-tube lighting and waste-heat recapture technology, according to President Peter Gerry, who joined state and local officials in a ribbon-cutting at the store Aug. 8.
“This building was designed from the ground up to be 'energy net plus,' meaning eventually we will produce more power then we consume,” Mr. Gerry said.
The use of geothermal allows the building to be heated and cooled without the use of fossil fuels, Mr. Gerry said, and the facility features long-life LED light fixtures that adjust automatically by monitoring the available natural light.
The dealership also is planning to use propane-powered service trucks.
Pete's Tire Barns did not disclose its investment in the 12,000-sq.-ft. property or say what, if any, state assistance it received for incorporating the green features into the building's design.
The location features four passenger/light truck tire service bays, three commercial tire service bays and a heavy-duty alignment machine, and is able to stock tires for all sizes of equipment from hand trucks to earthmovers.
The location is Pete's Tire Barns' second outlet in New Hampshire. The store count remains at 19 because it closed a smaller outlet in nearby Brattleboro, Vt.
The company has four outlets in Connecticut, eight in Massachusetts, two in New Hampshire, one in Rhode Island and four in Vermont, plus a 130,000-sq.-ft. warehouse and two retread plants.