Sustainability

Washington, D.C. -- In a first, the International Code Council (ICC), ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) have come together and signed an agreement to collaborate on the development of Standard 189.1, the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) and the LEED green building program.

Sweetwater, Fla. -- Ikea will open its first store in the Miami-Dade region of Florida on Aug. 27.

Ikea Miami is the home furnishings company’s fourth store in Florida, 39th in the United States, and 361st worldwide. The 416,000-sq.-ft. Ikea Miami features the largest rooftop solar array in South Florida.

The Estée Lauder Companies achieved record net sales and reported overall strong financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30.

For the year, the company achieved record net sales of $10.97 billion, an 8% increase compared with $10.18 billion in the prior year. Even excluding the impact of foreign currency translation, net sales still increased 8%.

Dr Pepper Snapple Group met or exceeded several of its corporate social responsibility goals over the past year, according to the 2014 report the company released Friday.
 
One of the goals it reports meeting was reducing its use of PET, a polymer used in beverage bottles. DPS conserved about 60.7 million pounds since 2007 by redesigning packaging and upgrading almost 70,000 older-model coolers and vending machines.

Minneapolis – Edward R. (Jack) Cameron, 74, is retiring as president and CEO of Appliance Recycling Centers of America Inc. (ARCA). Mark Eisenschenk, who has served as COO since July 2013, has been promoted to the position of president and CEO.

Walmart held its second U.S. Manufacturing Summit in Denver on Thursday and used the occasion to dole out the first of $10 million in grants designed to stimulate innovation and the creation of U.S. jobs.
 
The initial grants presented this week were given to organizations focused on reducing the cost of textiles manufacturing, including home textiles and apparel, in the U.S. by addressing obstacles throughout production and improving common manufacturing processes with broad application to many types of consumer products.
 

Plano, Texas – Pizza Hut Inc. is deploying energy management systems from Entouch Controls at 500 corporate stores. The company plans to recommend the Entouch technology to its 5,800 franchised stores, as well.

Raley's Supermarkets worked with NRG eVgo to unveil an electric vehicle (EV) fast charging station at a retail location in Northern California that features both industry standard fast chargers: CHAdeMO and SAE Combo.

Located at Nob Hill supermarket in Mountain View, this Freedom Station is the first to incorporate the new SAE Combo fast charge standard, according to the company.