IKEA Burbank's solar program will produce approximately 421,300 kWh of electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing at least 334 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) - equaling the emissions of 58 cars or powering 37 homes yearly.

This initiative by IKEA will contribute to the local utility's renewable portfolio goals and will lower the carbon intensity of the electrical grid.

It also represents the fourth solar energy project for IKEA in the U.S. Systems are operational in Brooklyn, NY, Pittsburgh, PA and Tempe, AZ and plans are underway for installing programs at seven other IKEA locations in California, and two more on the East Coast. Also, both a solar energy and geothermal system were incorporated into the Denver-area store opening this year in Centennial, CO.

IKEA contracted with Gloria Solar for the development, design and installation of this customized solar power system. Gloria Solar is the United States operating group focused on the photovoltaic system business within the family of E-Ton Solar Group.

This project is the third largest installation in the service area of Burbank Water and Power (BWP), the city's utility that serves 45,000 households and 6,000 businesses in Burbank with water and electricity.

"We are thrilled at how this solar energy system furthers our sustainability commitment at IKEA Burbank," said Jeff O'Shaughnessy, IKEA Burbank store manager.

"IKEA has a never-ending job where most things still remain to be done. We constantly ask ourselves how we can improve what we do today for a better tomorrow. We appreciate the support of the City of Burbank, BWP and Gloria Solar, our partners in this project."

IKEA, drawing from its Swedish heritage and respect of nature, believes it can be a good business while doing good business and strives for its operations to minimize impacts on the environment. Globally, IKEA evaluates all locations regularly for energy conservation opportunities, integrates innovative materials into product design, works with Global Forest Watch to maintain sustainable resources, and flat-packs goods for efficient distribution.

Specific U.S. sustainable efforts include: recycling waste material (paper, wood, plastic, etc.); incorporating environmental measures into the construction of buildings in terms of energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems, recycled construction materials, skylights in warehouse areas, and water conserving restrooms; and operationally, phasing out the sale of incandescent light bulbs and facilitating recycling of customers' compact fluorescent bulbs.

Located on 6.4 acres along I-5 on San Fernando Boulevard, the 242,000 SF IKEA Burbank opened in November 1990 and employs approximately 350 coworkers. In addition to 10,000 exclusively designed items, IKEA Burbank presents 33 different room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children's play area, and a 200-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates, as well as American dishes.

Other family-friendly features include a Children's IKEA area in the Showroom, baby care rooms, preferred parking and play areas throughout the store.

del.icio.us	Digg	Reddit
YahooMyWeb	Google	Facebook

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News