The new store is one of the new generations of Rona stores, and it includes an expanded range of products. The new store, which is twice the size of the former store at 918 Southworth Street South, is Rona’s latest proximity store that will specialize in home construction and renovation.
At 52,000 square feet, the store features an 18,000 square feet garden center and over 23,000 different types of building materials and finishing products, as well as specialized boutiques that include paint, decorative accessories, kitchen and bathroom cabinets and fixtures, doors and windows, as well as flooring.
The store also has departments for tools, hardware, plumbing, electrical, lighting fixtures and seasonal articles, and includes a lumberyard and warehouse that represent a total of 54,500 square feet. Rona boutiques are designed to support the renovation process and make it more efficient.
Rona Welland has adopted several building components that will make the store environmentally sustainable all of which are based on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria. The sustainable efforts include the use of white energy efficient roofing system; energy efficient lighting and motion detectors for specific lighting controls; use of construction materials with high recycled content; water saving plumbing fixtures to lower water consumption; timers and controls to regulate air conditioning and heating throughout the day; and the use of low-emitting materials will also improve air quality.
Wood from certified forests and locally-manufactured materials were also used for the construction. Bike racks were also installed to encourage employees to cycle or walk to work. The light fixtures on display in the store use low-consumption compact fluorescent bulbs rather than incandescent ones.
