Wal-Mart opens greenest store to date

Wal-Mart has committed to sharing many of the energy saving technologies and techniques used in its latest prototype green super store with the rest of the retail industry.

Speaking at the opening of the company's latest energy efficient superstore in Las Vegas yesterday, Wal-Mart vice president of prototype and new format development Charles Zimmerman insisted the company was "committed to openly sharing our learnings with the retail industry and the world because being more energy efficient is something everyone can benefit from".

Wal-Mart claims that its new HE.5 prototype store is its most energy efficient to date, delivering energy savings of up to 45 per cent more energy compared to its standard stores.

The company said that the improvements in cooling, refrigeration and lighting had been made possible by designing the store to suit the local climate.

For example, the store has adapted the integrated water-source format system used in other pilot stores to suit the hot and arid Nevada climate by adding evaporative cooling and radiant flooring technologies.

The company said the system reduces the temperature of water naturally by pumping it through roof-mounted cooling towers. It then runs the cold water underneath the retail floor to cool the shopping area.