New Sam’s Club Features Environmental Technology

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Wal-Mart Stores, Bentonville, Ark., opened its newest Sam’s Club last week here with several environmental systems, including a low-temperature, secondary-loop refrigeration system that uses carbon dioxide as the principal coolant. This is the second Sam’s Club equipped with the secondary-loop system; the other is in Savannah, Ga. According to James McClendon, engineering director, prototype and new format development, Wal-Mart, the new Sam’s Club’s secondary-loop system includes several upgrades, including the elimination of a back-up generator, reduced piping and a dedicated carbon dioxide charging station. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that the Sam’s Club also features 219 skylights to reduce electric consumption, two 30,000-gallon water tanks to capture rain from the roof for use in refrigeration units for drip irrigation, and a carwash that recaptures 60% of the water it uses. The building is also equipped with LED lighting in freezer cases, with motion sensors that turn the lights on and off as customers come and go, the newspaper reported.

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