Sustainability

Listening to the debate over the years about whether India should allow foreign direct investment in its retail industry sounded an awful lot like the opposition Walmart has dealt with for decades in the United States.

San Diego -- Ikea has officially plugged in three Blink Pedestal electric vehicle charging stations at its San Diego store as part of its partnership with ECOtality, a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies.

The San Diego project is the third such project for Ikea in the United States. Installation also is planned at six other Ikea stores in the western United States.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Friday announced nearly $4 billion in combined federal and private-sector energy upgrades to buildings over the next two years. These investments will save billions in energy costs, promote energy independence, and, according to independent estimates, create tens of thousands of jobs in the hard-hit construction sector.

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 -- 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.

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.