Sustainability

The larger solar rooftop array in the state of Washington is now completed — and it’s on top of an Ikea store.   Ikea has installed a solar array on the top its 244,000-sq.-ft. store currently under construction in Renton, Washington. It is scheduled to open in spring 2017.  

Retailers navigate shifting regulatory landscape amid a flurry of EPA involvement

The past decade has seen a monumental shift in regulatory oversight of retailers’ environmental compliance programs, forcing companies to adapt compliance solutions to the myriad of hazardous waste control laws impacting the retail sector.

Historically, most enforcement has been at the state and local level. But in late 2016, the industry witnessed a flurry of retail-related activity from the Environmental Protection Agency, including:

LED options now exist for nearly every lighting application

When it comes to retail operating costs, energy is one of the top three expenses. Lighting is, of course, a component of this, accounting for 50% of energy costs for non-food retailers. The typical retail store spends roughly 71 cents per square foot per year — a cost that quickly adds up at the store and chain level.

LEDs, wireless controls are key to the future of retail lighting solutions

Lighting is fundamental to any retail store, whether for setting a scene and influencing how a brand is perceived or even encouraging shoppers to make a particular purchase. However, if not managed correctly, it can be extremely expensive. In fact, lighting accounts for around 53% of all electricity consumption in a typical retail outlet, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

A Delaware developer’s plan to create a green space and shopping center in Lewes, Delaware, an idyllic shore town that was the site of the first European settlement in the state, has encountered a new obstacle.   After overcoming opposition by some residents to the commercial re-zoning of 11 acres in this town north of Rehobeth Beach, J.G. Townsend Jr. & Co. now must content with protestors who say that its proposed Gills Neck Village Center would desecrate a Native American burial ground.  

New Seasons Market in Mercer Island, Washington, has gone platinum.    The new supermarket received EPA GreenChill Platinum Certification for its efforts in reducing refrigerant emissions (by at least 95%). The 37,000-sq.-ft. store uses a natural refrigerant solution designed for minimal greenhouse gas emissions and superior energy efficiency.   

Lifescapes International, an architectural landscape company that’s responsible for outdoor displays such as the Rockefeller Center Promenade and the Bellagio water show, is testing the boundaries of indoor greenery in the Philippines.  

REI continues its efforts to lead on sustainable operations.    The retailer’s newest distribution center, in Goodyear, Arizona, has achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Platinum certification — the highest level in the U.S. Green Building Council’s green building rating system — making it the first DC in the U.S. to achieve both LEED Platinum certification and Net Zero Energy.