Food Lion, Giant Eagle Explain Energy Star Success in SN Webinar

MICHAEL GARRY

NEW YORK — Being a leader in energy management “has created a competitive advantage for us over other grocery chains,” said Gina Rye, energy manager, Food Lion, Salisbury, N.C., during an SN-hosted Webinar held yesterday. The Webinar, “How to Become an Energy Star retailer,” also featured Cliff Timko, energy manager, conservation department, Giant Eagle, Pittsburgh, and Jean Lupinacci, chief of the Energy Star commercial and industrial branch, climate protection partnerships division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Hill Phoenix, Conyers, Ga., and WD Partners, Dublin, Ohio, sponsored the event. Of Food Lion’s roughly 1,300 stores, 703 have received Energy Star certification. “Benchmarking [energy usage] is the backbone of our success,” said Rye. Giant Eagle, which has earned Energy Star certification for 125 of its 158 corporate stores, uses a combination of energy retrofits, sustainable commissioning of stores and an awareness program run by a “dedicated energy-awareness champion,” Timko said.

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