Sustainability

Cincinnati — The Kroger Co. has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to reduce food waste.  

Kroger participated in the EPA's Food Recovery Challenge and came out on top in three categories: Leadership, Innovation, and Education and Outreach.

The Kroger Co. is getting more accolades from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this time for its efforts to reduce food waste.  

Columbus, Ohio -- Ikea announced that it is submitting plans to the City of Columbus, Ohio, for a store that would increase the Swedish furniture retailer’s Ohio presence to two stores. The newest store, located in the Polaris Centers of Commerce development about 15 miles north of downtown Columbus, is slated to open summer 2017.

San Francisco -- Schneider Electric and Autodesk are teaming up to advance building information modeling (BIM) technology and principles for building lifecycle management. As part of the collaboration, the two companies are exploring ways to complement each other’s strengths to make buildings more energy efficient, from the design and construction stage and continuing through operation and end-of-life phases.

Los Angeles - Forever 21 has powered up a 5.1-megawatt (DC), high-efficiency SunPower solar power system at its corporate headquarters in Los Angeles. PermaCity Solar designed and installed the system.

Amsterdam -- Tommy Hilfiger, which is owned by PVH Corp., will launch a digital sales showroom, at its global headquarters in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The showroom is designed to revolutioniz the sales experience for retailers by offering them a more engaging and seamless buying approach. The interactive system blends collection information, sales tools and brand content in one seamless touch-screen interface.

Spokane, Wash. -- Ecova announced it has been selected Chuck E. Cheese’s to provide utility expense and data management services. Ecova will assist the dining and entertainment company in monitoring, understanding and reducing energy use at approximately 525 locations nationwide.

St. Louis -- Ikea plans to install solar energy panels on its 380,000-sq-ft. St. Louis store, due to open in fall 2015. Panel installation will begin this spring, with completion before the store’s opening, making the project the largest rooftop solar array in the State of Missouri.

The store’s 259,000-sq.-ft. solar array will consist of a 1.28-MW system, built with 4,085 panels, and will produce approximately 1,780,000 kWh of electricity annually for the store, the equivalent to reducing 1,227 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Workplace customization was a recurring theme that emerged from Staples’ annual design competition.

The unique design competition involved 150 designers and architects who undertook the challenge of envisioning what workplaces will look like a decade from now.

As part of the contest, more than 150 architects and designers from around the world envisioned what work lives would be in the next 10-15 years, given the shift toward a "work anywhere, anytime" mentality.

Canton, Mass. -- Dunkin' Brands Group, the parent company of Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, announced that in 2014 its U.S. franchisees opened a total of 422 net new Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins.