EPA honors Lowe's with sustainable retailer award

Moorseville, N.C. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named Lowe’s winner of the Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award in Retail for the second consecutive year. The 2011 award recognizes Lowe’s long-standing leadership as a retailer of energy-efficient products and will be presented to the company at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on April 12.



According to Lowe's, it is being honored for outstanding achievements year after year in customer outreach, employee training and product selection. Lowe’s has won nine consecutive Energy Star awards (2003 to 2011), including four Retail Partner of the Year awards and the 2010 Sustained Excellence Award for its industry-leading commitment to energy efficiency.



“Winning the EPA’s highest honor for the second consecutive year demonstrates the value Lowe’s employees place on helping our customers save energy and money,” said Robert Niblock, Lowe’s chairman and CEO. “We’ve raised the bar every year since becoming an Energy Star partner in 2001. The Sustained Excellence Award is a reflection of that ongoing commitment.”



Lowe’s achievements in delivering energy-efficiency savings to customers in 2010 included:

• Increasing the quantity and variety of Energy Star products available in stores and online. Lowe’s carries Energy Star items in all eligible categories it sells, and Lowe’s has more Energy Star appliances in stock than any other national home improvement retailer.


• Promoting Energy Star as a way to save energy and money to an estimated 15 million customers per week. Lowe’s efforts included increased employee training, enhanced store signage and a new Lowes.com/EfficientHome site with more Energy Star product catalogs.


• Increasing national promotions for Energy Star products and support for tax-free events. Lowe’s collaborated with vendors on promotions and partnered with more than 45 utility companies and other sponsors to plan energy-efficiency rebate events.


• Expanding the Lowe’s Energy Center nationwide to provide a one-stop destination for energy-saving products. The in-store Energy Center puts solar technology alongside Energy Star qualified products such as CFLs.