Home Improvement

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — During Lowe's annual conference Tuesday, SVP marketing and advertising Tom Lamb defined the company's target customer by first breaking down home improvement consumers into four distinct groups.

Lowe's target, he said, is on the two largest spending groups, together called "creators."

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — Ikea announced that it plans to install solar energy panels on ten additional United States locations. Pending governmental permits, installation can begin this winter, with completion expected in summer 2012, the company said. Collectively, the nine stores and one distribution center will total 10.7 Megawatts (MW) of solar generating capacity, nearly 45,360 panels, and a projected annual electricity output of 15,248,334 kilowatt hours (kWh).

Conshohocken, Pa. -- Ikea announced plans to install solar energy panels on 10 additional United States locations, its entire presence in the Southern United States.

Pending governmental permits, installation will begin this winter, with completion expected in summer 2012.

Collectively, the nine stores and one distribution center will total 10.7 Megawatts (MW) of solar generating capacity, nearly 45,360 panels, and a projected annual electricity output of 15,248,334 kilowatt hours (kWh).

A new experiment underway at Target could eventually see the retailer making greater use of environmentally-sustainable fibers in such products as sheets, shower curtains, window treatments, table linens, decorative pillows and towels.

The company entered into an exclusive two-year development and supply agreement with Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. to evaluate the use of something called “CRAIiLAR Flax” fibers in products. 

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.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — The nation’s leading warehouse club operator maintained its momentum in November by posting a 6% increase in same-store sales at U.S. clubs excluding the beneficial effect of higher year-over-year gas prices.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears announced that it is offering free delivery of fresh cut Christmas trees to customers when they order them via Sears.com. Through Dec. 15, customers can go to Sears.com to order their own Fraser fir from the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains and have it delivered for free directly to their home, apartment or office. 

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.