Sustainability

New York City -- A new report from Pike Research forecasts that LEDs will capture 52% of the commercial lighting market by 2021. Pike, a cleantech market intelligence firm, anticipates that LED lighting costs for various SSL products will be reduced by 80% to 90% in many cases during the next decade.

New York City -- Solid-state lighting figures prominently in Starbucks’ newly renovated Time Square flagship in New York City. The retailer utilized the services of Focus Lighting, a New York-based architectural lighting design firm, which called upon LED Source, an international supplier of LED lighting.

“LEDs are the most energy-efficient lighting solution on the market,” said Joe Zamore, VP of business development, LED Source, Wellington, Fla., which specializes specializes in full-scale evaluations and retrofits.

PITTSBURGH — Electric vehicle charging stations recently opened at three Pittsburgh-area Giant Eagle stores, the retailer said.

The EV charging stations, made possible by a collaborative effort through a Pennsylvania Department of Energy grant, now are in operation at the chain's Robinson Township, Township of Pine and Monroeville supermarkets.

St. Louis -- Grocer Save-A-Lot, a subsidiary of SuperValu, said Tuesday it will open a 330,000-sq.-ft. distribution center in Lexington, N.C., on Nov. 30.

The $24 million project is designed to support Save-A-Lot’s growth in region.

The new DC will employ 35 employees initially and is a collaboration with the state of North Carolina and its One North Carolina Fund, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Davidson County and the City of Lexington.

Pittsburgh -- Dick's Sporting Goods said Tuesday that it will build a new distribution center in Goodyear, Ariz., that will service the western United States. The new DC, which is expected to bring approximately 120 jobs to the area, is slated to open in early 2013.

The distribution center will be designed to ultimately support approximately 160 stores as Dick's Sporting Goods grows its store base in the western United States over the next five to 10 years and is eventually expected to employ up to 300 associates.

By Ian Lifshitz, Rainforest Realities

Charlotte, N.C. — Harris Teeter will open a 61,000-sq.-ft. store in Baltimore, making it the chain's first in the city and seventh in Maryland.

The store, which will be located in the McHenry Row neighborhood of Baltimore, opens its doors on Dec. 7. The supermarket places strong emphasis on fresh foods, items-to-go and perishable items, Harris Teeter said.

The chain also is applying for LEED certification for the location, noting the supermarket will include electric vehicle charging stations and an integrated refrigeration.

East Cleveland, Ohio -- Walgreens received GE Lighting’s Retailer of the Year award in recognition of the drugstore chain’s transition from F28 to F25 linear fluorescent lamps, a strategic move that enabled the company to achieve a 9% energy savings while also extending its re-lamp cycle — how frequently it changes bulbs — by 10%. The award was presented at GE’s third annual LED & Energy Efficient Lighting Trends for Retail conference, held at the lighting unit’s headquarters in East Cleveland, Ohio.