WEST DUNDEE, IL - Wal-Mart says its new SuperCenter proposed for West Dundee will uphold the retail giant's motto: "Save Money. Live Better." But preserving shoppers' budgets is not the retailer's lone concern. The world's largest retail chain plans to build an energy efficient, environmentally friendly store near Huntley Road and Elm Avenue at the entrance to Spring Hill Mall.
Representatives for the Arkansas-based company will submit a site plan to the West Dundee planning and zoning commission tonight. "Wal-Mart is a pioneer in building green stores," said Roderick Scott, the company's public affairs director for Illinois. "From energy efficient daylight harvesting, to the most advanced systems for heating and cooling, we are doing our part to conserve energy."
A daylight harvesting system includes skylights and other sensors that utilize available daylight, reducing the amount of power needed to illuminate stores. The energy-saving designs are not unique to the proposed West Dundee building. At the 2,100 Wal-Mart stores nationwide that implement the system, enough power is saved to supply about 53,390 homes each year, Roderick said.
Also, Roderick said, all new stores have LED lighting in frozen food cases and other refrigerated cases with doors that are motion-activated. The lights turn themselves on when someone opens the door and turn off again when the doors close. This type of lighting uses as much as 50 percent less energy than traditional lighting and lasts three to four times longer, according to a Wal-Mart statement.
Some Wal-Mart critics call the designs "green-washing," an attempt to shift the spotlight from allegations of low pay and limited health care. West Dundee Village Manager Joe Cavallaro said Wal-Mart's new design and prototype standards, as well as its commitment to the environment, complement the village's own environment-focused programs. "Wal-Mart has gotten rid of the blue and gray exteriors," said Cavallaro, who noted the village's expanded recycling and electronic waste recycling programs. "The design is more sophisticated, more urban, and the implementation of green methods fits well with our own green efforts."
Conservatively, Cavallaro said the 183,000-square-foot store could generate more than $1 million in revenue for the village. The company initially approached West Dundee with a concept plan in August 2006. Since then, Wal-Mart has reduced the scope of the store, most notably eliminating a lube and tire service center, Assistant Village Planner Jennifer Becker said. "Since 2006, many things have changed," Becker said. "The plan Wal-Mart will submit on Monday meets the village's underlying zoning, subdivision standards."
Source: Daily Herald