Sustainability

By Ron Harwood, [email protected]

We have all seen the sales people come through the office claiming to have the answer to our lighting energy and efficacy concerns. Virtually every “pitch” will deal with LEDs, and only a rare few will be touting the older fluorescent and the new, almost miniature metal halide lamps.

New York — Old Navy has received LEED Silver certification for its new location in Fort Worth, Texas. It is the first LEED certified store in the chain’s portfolio.

The location also features Old Navy’s updated store environment, which has an upbeat and fun ambience, raceway layout and key destination areas for easy shopping.The clean and modern design is accented with a colorful palette. A kid-friendly area features an interactive video game projected onto the floor

Conshohocken, Pa. — Ikea plans to install solar photovoltaic systems on six more of its locations in the Eastern United States. Pending governmental permits, installation will begin in late spring, with completion expected this fall.

CLEVELAND — Glidden announced that on May 21 to 22 it will hold demonstrations at nearly 1,000 Walmart stores nationwide to showcase its exclusive ready-to-go paint testers with built-in brush attached to the lid. The two-ounce paint testers are available in all 306 colors in the Glidden Brilliance Collection palette. 

Plano, Texas -- JCPenney Co. announced that it will up its participation in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program to 400 stores by the end of 2013. Energy Star certification is awarded to buildings that rank within the top 25% of similar commercial buildings nationwide by meeting strict energy performance levels set by the EPA.

JCPenney has a companywide goal to reduce facility energy use 20% by 2015.

Frisco, Texas -- The City of Frisco executed a Memorandum of Understanding with Forest City Development and its partner, Ernest Mahard Jr. to develop a 320-acre mixed-use development on the southwest corner of the Dallas North Tollway and U.S. Highway 380. 

Bounded by Virginia Parkway and County Road 26, this development will encompass retail, residential, office, entertainment, hospitality, municipal parks and services. 

Plano, Texas -- J.C. Penney Co. announced Thursday that it will up its participation in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program to 400 stores by the end of 2013. Energy Star certification is awarded to buildings that rank within the top 25% of similar commercial buildings nationwide by meeting strict energy performance levels set by the EPA.

J.C. Penney has a companywide goal to reduce facility energy use 20% by 2015.

Chicago -- As part of its $114.8 million federal stimulus grant to construct the country’s electric vehicle (EV) charging station infrastructure, ECOtality said Thursday it has chosen Jones Lang LaSalle’s Corporate Retail Solutions team to assist in location selection, conduct due diligence and negotiate contracts with potential host locations throughout EV Project regions to install ECOtality’s Blink EV Chargers.

Wilmington, N.C. -- Efficient Energy America (E2America) announced that Platinum Corral, a multi-state franchise operator of Golden Corral restaurants, has signed an agreement to install the supplier’s intelligent heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) control system in all 30 of its stores.

Indianapolis -- KFC is looking to earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for its newest restaurant in Indianapolis. The building is designed to use 25% less energy and water than a conventional KFC restaurant. It features energy-efficient cooking equipment, LED lighting, locally sourced building materials, recycling for cooking oil and plastics, fixtures designed for lower water use, and parking preference for hybrid vehicles.