Lighting upgrades are just the start of chain’s savings
February 10, 2010 by Tom GuayPosted in: Cost Cutting, energy efficiency, green buildings, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, News
How can you ignore the benefit of going green when it saves a company $6 million in year one and then doubles that savings in year two?
By upgrading to energy-efficient lighting systems in all of its retail stores, auto parts and tire seller Canadian Tire says the $12 million savings it’ll reap in 2010 are just the beginning.
The more efficient lighting systems saved the company’s stores more than 45 million kilowatt hours (kwhs) of energy in 2009 and will expand this savings to more than 85 million kwhs in 2010 and beyond.
The lighting upgrades are also improving the company’s environmental footprint by cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 11,500 tons in 2009 and 20,500 tons in 2010.
But this is just the opening stage of a campaign to boost the company’s bottom line by chopping energy costs. For example, Canadian Tire is building so-called smart stores that are 30% more energy efficient than standard stores built just three years ago. The mix in a smart store includes:
- florescent lighting
- Energy Star approved products
- daylight harvesting
- motion sensors to turn off lights in unused areas
- high efficiency heating and cooling systems, and
- increased insulation.
Full details are reviewed in the company’s first-ever Community and Business Sustainability Report.
Tags: Canadian Tire, daylight harvesting, energy-efficient lighting
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