GE Lighting scored a deal to install LED lighting in a selection of Walmart stores worldwide. Walmart and GE announced the deal this week under which Walmart plans to purchase LED ceiling lighting fixtures for new supercenters in the United States and stores in Asia and Latin America, as well as Asda locations in the United Kingdom. The new fixtures will use 40% less energy than lighting sources Walmart has historically used in stores, and will help the retail giant reach its goal to reduce energy required per square foot to power its buildings by 20% by 2020.
The main sales floor in a typical Walmart accounts for 90% of the store’s lighting energy consumption, and the companies expect this deal to reduce per-store energy use by more than 5% in its U.S. locations. The companies have worked together for years to advance energy efficient lighting solutions for retail. Walmart was an early adopter of LED signage, starting in 2003, and rolled out freezer case lighting in 2005 with parking lot lighting close behind.