Verizon Store awarded EPA’s Energy Star

Laurel, Md. The Verizon Wireless Communications Store in Columbia, Md., has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star designation, the national symbol for superior energy efficiency and environmental. The Columbia store is one of more than 47 Verizon Wireless retail stores nationwide to receive the Energy Star label.

"The changes we have implemented in our stores are significant because they impact our business, the environment and our ability to provide customers with an industry-leading experience," said Mike Maiorana, regional president for Verizon Wireless in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.  "By being more energy efficient, we can keep operating costs down and redirect those resources to improve the customer experience."

The store replaced incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps and installed light-emitting diode (LED) exit signs and motion sensors to activate lighting in portions of the store that are not in constant use, such as the storage room and back offices.

In addition, its lighting and display systems are controlled by a digital timer system to ensure that lights turn off when the store is closed to avoid energy waste. 

Additional energy-saving initiatives included insulating the water heater and piping and replacing the service bay doors with energy efficient glass to reduce the loss of heated or cooled air.

Commercial buildings that earn the Energy Star use an average of 40% less energy than typical buildings and also release 35% less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.