Green Lighting Systems Help Home Depot Slash Energy Costs

During the past six years, Home Depot, Atlanta, Ga., has reduced its U.S. stores' energy per square foot consumption by 16 percent. At the start of 2004, The Home Depot's energy usage was 25 kWh per square foot. Through a series of operational programs including the upgrading of store HVAC systems, aligning of stocking hours more closely with store operating hours, use of CFL bulbs and a switch to T5 lighting, the company's U.S. store energy usage now stands at 21 kWh per square foot.

Moving forward, Home Depot believes it can reach 20 kWh per square foot of energy usage by 2015. The stores will continue to gain operational and energy efficiencies through a move from 54W to 49W lighting, additional HVAC upgrades, installation of more white roofs and certain locations that have shifted their stocking hours to align more closely with our store operating hours. All of these efforts, representing an additional reduction of approximately five percent from the current usage amounts, will bring the total reduction since 2004 to 20 percent. Details