SOUTHBURY, Conn. — Stop & Shop, Quincy, Mass., yesterday held a ceremony at a store here at which it announced that the store is the first at the chain to be certified as an Energy Star building by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Energy Star label is given to buildings that display superior energy efficiency, using about 35% less energy than average buildings. Stop & Shop, along with its sister company Giant of Landover, Md., also announced its focus on earning the designation of Energy Star Leader for its entire portfolio of stores. Built in 2005, the Southbury store has reduced the facility’s electrical load by 28% compared to similar stores built in 2000. It includes skylights over the sales floor that provide natural light during the day and allow for the T5 fluorescent lighting system to be dimmed automatically by an energy management system. “By taking proactive steps to improve energy efficiency, Stop & Shop is cutting costs, reducing harmful emissions to the air and setting an example for other companies,” said Robert Varney, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office, in a statement.

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