‘Green’ Food Production and Distribution

Bio: Executive Director of Plant Chicago and founder of the Chicago Sustainable Manufacturing Center.

Education: MFA Industrial Design, University of Illinois at Chicago

Past Assignments: Bioneers, Yale, Museum of Contemporary Art, Archeworks, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Greenheart Transforms, Conservation Remix

Bio: PETER TESTA is president of Testa Produce, Inc. and the third generation to actively run the Chicago based company. Peter started in the produce business over 40 years ago driving a truck for his grandfather’s company and has done every job in the organization as he worked his way up to his present day position. Under Peter’s leadership, Testa Produce now employs over 180 people and utilizes 65+ trucks to service the full Chicago metropolitan area. In 2011, Testa Produce moved into a state of the art LEED(R) Platinum distribution facility in the “Back of the Yards” neighborhood. Using the slogan,” Green by nature.. Greener by Choice.” Testa’s new 91,300 square foot facility is the first LEED Platinum Foodservice Facility in the United States. This world-class facility boosts: • A 45,000 sq ft barrel Green Roof for visibility is the first of it’s kind in Chicago • 5,000 gallon rain reclamation cistern • 765,085 gallon rain retention pond • Bio Swales to capture rainwater run-off • Solar hot water system for the entire building • Methanol fuel cells on pallet-moving equipment • 72 solar panels on rear docks • 9 solar trees containing 108 solar panels with battery charger systems for employees cars and power generation • Solar Tracking Skylights • 95% Recycling capacity • Certified Green chemicals used for cleaning • The City of Chicago’s first freestanding wind turbine, which is 238 ft high and supplies 880,000 kW/hrs per year, • All LED office lighting is the first occurrence in Chicago Recent awards Peter has been honored with are: 2012 Outstanding For-Profit Neighborhood Real Estate Project Award from LICS Chicago 2011 Green Development of the Year by NAIOP, Commercial Real Estate Development Association 2011 Environmental Leadership Award from the Illinois Environmental Council 2011 Best Green Building by ENR Midwest 2011 Industry Leadership Award from Washburne Culinary Institute Peter Testa’s dedication to the foodservice industry by supplying high quality ingredients and excellent service to Chicago’s restaurants, and his vision for the future through the example he is setting with his new Foodservice Distribution Facility have helped evolve the way the industry looks at sustainability.