Wal-Mart to Test Environmentally Friendly Technology in New Stores
DENVER - Wal-Mart plans to test environmentally friendly technologies in two of its new supercenters, according to a report in the Denver Post.
The stores, to be built in Aurora, Colo. and McKinney, Texas, would include a variety of "green" technologies Wal-Mart plans to test before implementing them in other stores.
"We realize it's our environmental responsibility to make things better within our world," said Wal-Mart spokesman Carlos Montoya. He told the newspaper he could not detail the exact technologies that will be used, because the company has not submitted its plans to the city of Aurora.
Wal-Mart officials selected the two cities because their different climates offer unique testing grounds for the new technologies, Montoya said.
Possibilities for the Aurora store include using recycled building materials, solar-energy panels, Earth-friendly landscaping and environmental storm-water management systems.
The retailer plans to partner with colleges and universities to study the stores, according to the report. Results of the analysis would be used to design and build other stores and would be shared with the entire industry, Montoya said.
So far, Wal-Mart has not requested any public subsidies for the development in Aurora. Barring any problems with approvals, construction in Aurora could start late this summer, Montoya said.
Wal-Mart has come under fire in the Denver area because of its plans to drain an Arvada lake to make room for a new store, according to the report. Montoya said last week that plans for that store are still up in the air.
The stores, to be built in Aurora, Colo. and McKinney, Texas, would include a variety of "green" technologies Wal-Mart plans to test before implementing them in other stores.
"We realize it's our environmental responsibility to make things better within our world," said Wal-Mart spokesman Carlos Montoya. He told the newspaper he could not detail the exact technologies that will be used, because the company has not submitted its plans to the city of Aurora.
Wal-Mart officials selected the two cities because their different climates offer unique testing grounds for the new technologies, Montoya said.
Possibilities for the Aurora store include using recycled building materials, solar-energy panels, Earth-friendly landscaping and environmental storm-water management systems.
The retailer plans to partner with colleges and universities to study the stores, according to the report. Results of the analysis would be used to design and build other stores and would be shared with the entire industry, Montoya said.
So far, Wal-Mart has not requested any public subsidies for the development in Aurora. Barring any problems with approvals, construction in Aurora could start late this summer, Montoya said.
Wal-Mart has come under fire in the Denver area because of its plans to drain an Arvada lake to make room for a new store, according to the report. Montoya said last week that plans for that store are still up in the air.