News

Top trends include increased use of alternative energy sources and daylighting

Green building is on the rise, with half of all new U.S. retail and hotel projects expected to be green by 2015, according to recent surveys. The boom is credited to a number of factors, including higher energy efficiency standards, a move toward greater transparency, decreased operating costs, increased sustainability awareness and a more responsible use of building resources. 

Changes to California’s Title 24 tighten building energy-efficiency standards

California leads the nation in efforts to conserve energy, and it shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Changes to the state’s mandatory Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency standards — changes that will make commercial buildings 30% more efficient than the previous 2008 standards — are scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2014.

Seattle -- Zoomingo, the personalized shopping discovery app that helps shoppers find the best deals in their local stores and malls, announced an agreement with Simon Property Group, the largest mall operator in the U.S., to market the Zoomingo app for the upcoming 2013 holiday shopping season.

Dick’s Sporting Goods and ESPN have entered into a multi-year agreement which will allow Dick’s to be the exclusive e-commerce provider of licensed merchandise and sporting goods on ESPN.com and related digital properties.  

Dick’s and ESPN are no strangers. The sporting goods retailer sponsors ESPN's Champ Week coverage for college basketball, and collaborates on content such as Hell Week — an original documentary produced by Dick’s Sporting Goods Films in association with ESPN, which aired on ESPN2 and ESPNU earlier this year.

Ninth annual survey supports adding value through redevelopment

In its ninth year, the annual Top Redevelopers survey continues to demonstrate the value of redeveloping and repositioning shopping centers. As always, the goals include refreshing, remodeling, tweaking, and sometimes demolishing and rebuilding with an eye to providing tenants with space that supports their goals. 

New York -- Starting in November, J. Crew consumers can take advantage of MasterPass at checkout, a digital wallet service enables shoppers to use any payment card or enabled device to unlock a simplified and speedier checkout experience whether they’re at home, in a store or on the go.

Leading sales and marketing services provider Crossmark has enhanced its shopper marketing capabilities with the purchase of PromoWorks.

The transaction will result in Crossmark being the preferred product sampling and demonstration agency for 10 of the top 20 food retailers in North America and the exclusive event marketing planning agency for many of the top consumer brands, according to the company.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears and Kmart stores joined the growing list of national retailers whose stores will open on Thanksgiving Day.

Kmart, which has opened Thanksgiving Day for 22 years, this year will be open for 41 straight hours, starting at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving Day to 11 p.m. Black Friday.  Sears will open at 8 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.