Dilawri Group opened the doors to its new, rebranded Volvo Canada store in Richmond, British Columbia.

Volvo Cars Richmond, formerly known as Volvo of Vancouver, is located at 338-10700 Cambie Road.

But the dealer group said this is more than just a dealership opening. According to Volvo Car Canada, this is North America’s first Volvo Retail Sustainable Experience facility. This is reflected in the store’s sustainability efforts throughout constructing the facility.

Volvo Canada said VRSE locations are designed to be smart, resilient sites, addressing changing weather conditions, lowering energy costs, and cutting down on environmental impact. This goes for the production and construction process.

“We could not be more pleased to have opened North America’s first Volvo Retail Sustainable Experience facility,” said Ajay Dilawri, Dilawri co-founder, in a  news release. “At every stage, we met or exceeded provincial standards for environmental sustainability, and have built a store that reflects our ongoing commitment to deliver unparalleled customer satisfaction through continuous innovation.”

As the first VRSE facility, Volvo Cars Richmond runs on renewable energy. The LEED certified dealership was built according to stringent environmental standards, with features including rooftop solar panels, an integrated green exterior wall and eco-friendly building materials.

The automotive industry is moving towards a more sustainable future. Volvo Car Canada and Dilawri took on the task of building North America’s first VRSE facility as part of their “commitment to delivering unmatched customer satisfaction through continuous innovation.”

“Volvo customers have an established affinity for sustainability, in particular, so it made sense to recognize our shared commitment by making the most of the opportunity to build a cutting-edge new facility in this new location. That meant going above and beyond to create a LEED-certified building that meets or exceeds provincial standards for environmental sustainability,” Volvo Canada and Dilawri Group said in a joint statement sent to Auto Remarketing Canada.

The overall goal of the VRSE approach, which borrows elements from the OEM’s Scandinavian roots, is to make it as easy as possible to choose to invest in and create sites that are able to handle changing weather, while again, lowering energy costs.

“In addition to striking Scandinavian design, we expect to attract visitors who will recognize and appreciate the high-quality, eco-friendly design that is in evidence throughout the building—from amenities and building materials, to Volvo’s remarkable electrified product lineup,” Volvo Cars Canada and the Dilawri Group said.

The store comes to over 20-thousand square feet and sits on a 2.1-acre site, located just off the Vancouver-Blaine Highway and a ten-minute drive from Vancouver International Airport. Customers can browse vehicles in the six-vehicle showroom and will take their new ride home via the dedicated new-delivery bay. The store includes nine service bays and two wash bays, and all furniture and flooring is made from recycled, non-toxic materials. And a VRSE clean water and coffee bar provides beverages in ways that eliminate the use of single-use plastics.

Additional sustainability elements include: permeable pavers, to help control water runoff, Solera insulated curtain wall panels, automated building systems and LED lighting.

Another element that may make this dealership stand out is its fully equipped to service electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, with multiple fast-charging stations. As the whole store is powered by renewable energy, this piece is run by a combination of hydro-electric energy from the grid and solar energy, which is generated directly on site.

“Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do,” said Matt Girgis, managing director, Volvo Car Canada, in the news release. “This new retail facility is a true reflection of the ambitious steps we are taking to support a greener, electrified future for all. Congratulations to Ajay and team on the opening of this beautiful, eco-friendly facility.”

Dilwari Canada is the country’s largest auto group with 80 franchised dealerships representing 37 brands both in Canada and the U.S.

This past March, the dealer group, in concert the Dilawri Investment Trust, announced it acquired even more control and ownership of Automotive Properties Real Estate Investment (REIT) through the Toronto Stock exchange. These Units were acquired through Dilawri subsidiary 2030445 Ontario Inc. and Dilawri Investment Trust.

And in January of this year,  the RBC GranFondo Whistler and XFONDO cycling events announced a new partnership with Dilawri. This partnership will drive high quality touchpoints and help lay the groundwork for another year of RBC GranFondo events.

In other recent dealership news from the Dilawri Group, in fall 2022, the auto group announced the opening of BMW Aurora, just north of Toronto. The 59,343 square-foot store is situated just off Highway 404, on a 2.8-acre site at the south-east corner of Goulding Avenue and Wellington Street East. And in November of last year, Porsche Centre Richmond’s new flagship location opened in the expansive Richmond Auto Mall.

Last year as well, five of the dealerships under the Dilawri umbrella were recognized for their efficient, transparent and customer-friendly sales experience by J.D. Power and its Dealer of Excellence program.

The program is designed to help vehicle shoppers make more informed decisions when choosing a dealer for their next vehicle purchase. The Dilawri dealerships mentioned included Markham Honda, Dixie Mazda, Acura North Toronto, Volkswagen de Sources and Audi Queensway.