Day: January 5, 2018

Target Energizes its Stores with Solar

The United States reached a new renewable energy milestone in March 2017 when wind and solar accounted for 10 percent of all electricity generated for the month – with wind accounting for eight percent and solar representing two percent.1

One retailer doing its part to increase the adoption of renewable energy sources is Target.

“Target has always had a strong commitment to our communities, which includes a focus on sustainability and creating a healthier environment for our team and our guests,” said John Leisen, Vice President, Target Properties. This commitment includes several energy management goals such as: achieving the Energy Star designation for 80 percent of all stores by 2020; installing rooftop solar on 500 stores by 2020 and making significant investments in the purchase or generation of clean, renewable energy – including solar and wind; and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from Target’s operations 25 percent by 2025.

Over 1,500 Target stores have achieved Energy Star certification, which is an important first step in any energy management program, Leisen said. “Our goal was to reach 80 percent by 2020 but we will achieve this goal in 2017.”

Target is also using wind farm-generated energy in its stores with one farm in Texas online now and one wind farm in Kansas coming online in 2019. “These wind installations will produce enough clean energy to supply 200 stores,” Leisen said. “As of today, we have over 350 stores with rooftop solar installations in 20 states,” he said. “These solar systems generate enough electricity to power 26,000 homes for a year.”

“Technology has evolved since we installed our first solar project in 2003,” Leisen said. “The systems are more efficient and easier to install, and they provide tangible proof of our commitment to renewable energy.”

Store rooftops provide the ideal location for a solar panel installation – open, expansive spaces that are “free” to use, pointed out Leisen. In addition to the rooftop panels, Target has six stores that also use large scale batteries for energy storage.

“Innovations in battery technology have made combining energy storage systems with solar more compelling,” Leisen explained. “For example, the 910-kilowatt solar system and 250-kilowatt battery at the store in Kona, Hawaii provides over 40 percent of the store’s energy and captures energy during the day to power lights and refrigeration later in the day.”

There is also a strong business case for solar, Leisen said. Rooftop solar reduces electricity costs and allows customers to fix a portion of energy expenses, which provides financial certainty. “The reduced energy costs, combined with tax credits and utility solar programs, deliver strong financial results for Target,” he explained. “In states that allow rooftop solar power purchase agreements, retailers may be able to achieve these financial results without expending capital.” 

These projects also help Target meet corporate sustainability goals that the retailer publicly reports on to stakeholders. In addition, solar projects contribute to job growth and reduce pollution in local communities, reinforcing Target’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, Leisen added. 

Although solar systems are a critical piece of Target’s energy management program, not all buildings for all retailers are appropriate for solar installations. “The roof must be structurally sound and have enough space to handle an installation that can provide approximately 30 percent of the store’s energy,” Leisen said. It is also important that the roof be new because it does not make sense to install a solar panel system on a roof that will be replaced in the near future – making removal and re-installation of the solar panels necessary.

Once installed, solar panels are easy to maintain. Other than inspecting panels for cracks, making sure they are clean and ensuring that wires and connections are in good condition, there is little else that a vendor must do.

While the retailer has set ambitious goals for the renewable energy program, Target doesn’t state its goals in terms of a net zero energy plan. “Our commitments to 100 percent renewable energy, and efficient sustainable operations are achieved using many of the same strategies that a net zero energy plan has,” Leisen said. “Powerful strategies to reduce energy include LED lighting and efficient HVAC systems, while renewable energy strategies include rooftop solar, offsite wind and utility partnerships. Together these exciting programs are making a long-term, positive impact on our business and the communities we serve.”

Growing the program includes solar installations on new stores and participation in initiatives such as Puget Sound Energy’s Green Direct Tariff – which is a large-scale wind energy project that serves multiple customers in the Northwest U.S.

“We also recognize that our guests are choosing to use clean energy in their lives, and we are adding electric vehicle charging stations at select stores in California and Hawaii,” Leisen said. “As clean innovations emerge, we’ll continue to evaluate and implement them as part of our commitment to maintain a sustainable, healthy community at all of our store locations.”   

 

Reference:

1. U.S. Energy Information Administration. Today in Energy, June 14, 2017. https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=31632

John Leisen

“The reduced energy costs, combined with tax credits and utility solar programs, deliver strong financial results for Target.”

John Leisen

Solar Tips from an Expert

With solar installations on more than 350 stores, John Leisen, Vice President, Target Properties, has a lot of experience with selection of sites, suppliers and products. Here are a few tips he recommends for retailers who are considering solar energy for their stores:

• Start with a strong partner who has a proven track record for assembly, maintenance and operation of solar energy systems in the geographic area of the store. The partner should have great relationships with local utilities to be able to advise the retailer on energy buy-back programs, cost savings and incentive programs.

• Understand the rates and incentives available for a store, and evaluate owning the equipment versus operating under a Power Purchase Agreement. The solar partner’s expertise is invaluable when comparing options because every utility’s program is different for savings, incentives and qualifications.

• Choose a partner who is an industry leader in solar and project management, suggested Leisen. “The partner should also understand batteries – new technology and capabilities.”

By: Sheryl S. Jackson

If you work in outside sales or company leadership you likely need to give presentations as part of your job. Whether presenting to company leadership about project funding or standing in front of a team of buyers in a prospect’s office, your presentation, to be effective, will have to be persuasive. Your ability to deliver persuasive presentations will be based on you mastering three skills:

1) Effective message design –  The most persuasive and successful presentations can be summarized in less than 60 seconds. What is your presentation goal and desired outcomes? And what is the overall message you want to communicate? Your ability to answer these questions (in as few words as possible) will help simplify your presentation and points you plan to cover. Can you keep your message pure? The more  points you try to make, the less impact you are likely to have.

2) Support materials that enhance and validate your message –  There are three goals for effective and persuasive support materials.

1st Goal – Clearly organize your message and presentation flow to help support your presentation. It’s a lot easier to follow you if I know where we’re going.

2nd Goal – Confirm, validate or support your message and position.

3rd Goal – Provide a “leave-behind” document to help extend their retention of your message (and hopefully support your calls for action).

3) Persuasive presentation delivery skills –  Don’t shout or be overly dramatic. The most persuasive speeches are delivered in a normal speaking voice. Your goal is to have a persuasive conversation, not deliver a Sunday morning “Fire and Brimstone” sermon. Show appropriate energy for the room and the space you have. You can’t be waving your arms around in a conference room that seats 10 people.

Stay focused on your message goals. Too many side points, excessive details, humorous stories, cartoons, funny photos or antidotes will sabotage your message and impact. The most persuasive messages are always simple, tightly organized and clearly delivered.

Show your confidence. Don’t stand behind a lectern. Eliminate “um’s” “ah’s” and “you know’s.” These words show your discomfort and nervousness. No one will believe what you say if you look weak, uncomfortable or nervous. Remember the deodorant commercial years ago with the tag line “Never let them see you sweat?”

Stay on time. The most persuasive presentations always end on time. Staying on time and not wasting their time shows a respect for your audience/buyer.

Don’t memorize your talk. That is guaranteed to cause you to forget where you are half way through. Memorize your outline and the major points you want to cover.

And one final suggestion…become active in your local Toastmasters Club. You will be most effective and successful as a persuasive speaker when you identify what works best for you and your presentation style. You will only learn through feedback and awareness. Toastmasters offers “stage time” experience and solid coaching feedback.

After all, we know you’re already a persuasive presenter. Now the only question is…are you ready to get even better?  

Jim Pancero, Dallas, TX, has successfully delivered over 3,000 speeches or programs on sales and sales leadership in 35 years as a professional speaker and trainer. He has earned the National Speakers Association “CSP” designation (Certified Speaking Professional) and has been inducted into their “CPAE Speaker’s Hall of Fame.” These combined honors have been earned by less than 130 of the almost 4,000 members of the National Speakers Association. Learn more about Jim at www.pancero.com or www.YouTube.com/2SellMore.

By: Jim Pancero

As retailers work to reduce energy usage and actively pursue a goal of net zero energy buildings or implement different components of a net zero energy management plan, lighting is often the first step that can be tackled by most.

“For the past several decades, a facility’s lighting system represented about 40 percent of the monthly utility bill, but with the cost of LED lighting systems becoming very affordable, energy use has been reduced by 50 percent or more,” said Anthony J. Denami, Director of Lighting Design and Project Estimating for Stones River Electric. Not only does the lower wattage of LED lighting require less energy, but LEDs emit less heat, which results in less demand on air conditioning units, he added.

“Moving forward into 2018, ascena retail group is initiating a comprehensive energy program to enhance the lighting in our stores across all brands,” explained Amy Ochoa, Facilities Manager for ascena. “While individual brands in the retail group embarked on a series of LED lighting programs and energy management systems prior to the creation of our center of excellence, we are looking to build off the success of those initial efforts.”

For example, ANN, INC. reported installation of LED bulbs in over 600 stores in 2015, but additional energy management systems were added to ANN in 2016, said Ochoa. “We work with eight unique store design segment groups and must ensure that the right bulbs are available for the right brands,” explained Tara Thompson, Director of Corporate Procurement, Energy and Sustainability for ascena. “We work with Visual and Brand teams to meet their design needs and balance the cost and efficiencies needed to meet the goals of the center of excellence.”

Major considerations for retailers evaluating lighting changes are the number of states that have adopted energy codes such as ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1, the International Energy Conservation Code or state-specific codes such as California, which has the Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings, also referred to as Title 24, Denami explained. “Some cities and municipalities, such as those in Colorado, have written their own lighting ordinance, codes and standards, which address exterior lighting.”

Of course, retailers are actively seeking new ways to conserve energy for a variety of reasons. One of the more interesting projects that Denami has handled is a national restaurant company that wanted to upgrade the lighting system at the corporate campus, reduce energy use and obtain the maximum utility incentive available. “We saved the owner over $97,000 annually in utility costs and obtained a utility rebate of over $91,000,” he said. A year later Denami’s company was implementing an interior LED upgrade in all of the company’s restaurants, and two years after the initial project, the restaurant company upgraded the exterior lighting at all locations to energy saving LED sources.

Lighting system energy savings are not just the result of LED lights, Denami pointed out. “Lighting controls can and do reduce energy consumption and energy demand,” he said. “Look at the utility bill and take the time to analyze the various charges and fees associated with your invoice.”

“Many of these charges are under the users’ control. Investing in technologies which will save money on your monthly utility bill and the systems will pay for themselves in a very short period of time,” Denami said. “After reaching the controls investment break-even point, those dollars saved in energy cost add to the bottom line, month after month after month.” 

Left to right: Tara Thompson, Corporate Procurement – Energy and Sustainability; Amy Ochoa, Facility Manager; Jamie Hubbard, AVP Procurement

BY: Sheryl S. Jackson

What’s hot, what’s not, and what the future holds

In today’s energy-fixated retail climate, the pressure is on for HVAC manufacturers. As building owners strive to achieve lofty energy goals, the HVAC industry must continually adapt and evolve. This, combined with looming Department of Energy regulations, is driving cutting-edge innovations in heating and air.

A Holistic Approach

One of the most prevalent HVAC trends is manufacturers and owners shifting to a holistic approach for building systems. “It’s about looking at all the building systems, including HVAC, as a system, not as individual components,” said Greg DuChane, Retail & Restaurant Vertical Sales Market Leader with Trane®, a leading global provider of indoor comfort solutions and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand. “Owners have to ask, what does the building look like holistically, and how does air conditioning fit?”

DuChane said owners should consider the whole operation when planning new construction,  as well as retrofit and renovation projects. “Many retailers and restauranteurs today are retrofitting just as many, if not more, facilities than they’re building,” he said. “As they retrofit lighting, they also need to bring their portfolio up to speed with the latest HVAC innovations.”

In today’s energy-focused retail environment, DuChane said an increasing number of FMs are tapping into building energy management strategies. “Building energy management is catching on, and it’s becoming more of the norm instead of the exception today,” he pointed out. This process, he explained, involves close monitoring and management of building energy, including lights, HVAC and other energy outputs.

“For example, many owners are doing LED upgrades in their stores,” DuChane said. “Their lighting costs go down most of the time by half or more. The neat thing is that LED impacts the air conditioning load in a good way – it lowers it.”

After a store undergoes an LED lighting upgrade, DuChane said the facilities manager should have an engineer or a partner manufacturer take a look at the HVAC load. “Maybe a 15-ton HVAC unit that was on the store could be switched to a 12.5-ton unit,” DuChane suggested.

In other words, FMs cannot look at building systems as separate silos. “You can’t just think, I’m going to change my lights or I’m going to change my air conditioning,” he explained. “You have to look at how it works together. These days, there are ways to look at the return on investment holistically. If you change the lights and the air conditioning, what does the joint return on investment look like? It’s usually much more favorable than when you put them into independent silos. And, lighting and HVAC are just a natural marriage.”

On the other hand, in restaurants HVAC is closely connected to ventilation. “It’s important to take a look at the hoods and make sure the outside air exhaust is optimized,” he said. “For every 200 or 300 CFM of outside air you reduce, you reduce a ton of air conditioning. It’s incredible. So, it’s very important to look at how these systems work together holistically. They’re not independent; they’re connected.”

Choosing the Right Efficiency

In another interesting HVAC trend, some restaurant owners are considering new HVAC efficiency options. “It’s very important to select the right efficiency for your operation.”

This is particularly true for Quick-Service Restaurant (QSRs), which are some of the most energy-intensive buildings in the U.S. “QSRs are second only to hospitals for energy use per square foot,” DuChane pointed out. “Air conditioning can be 30, 40 or 50 percent of that load, so it is a big factor when you’re looking at energy. This market typically uses standard rooftop units – it’s a good fit and it’s a good product from a maintenance and ease perspective. Over the last few years, many advancements have been made and new options introduced, which offer a lot of great choices for customers.”

Better Buildings Initiative

Although DuChane said most of his clients are not attempting to achieve net zero energy, they definitely have specific energy and sustainability related goals. For instance, many restaurants and retail stores are taking on the Better Buildings Challenge. This U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiative was established to drive leadership in energy innovation in the nation’s homes, commercial and public buildings.

According to the DOE Better Buildings website, the initiative “aims to make commercial, public, industrial, and residential buildings 20 percent more energy efficient over the next decade.”  This could result in billions of dollars saved on energy bills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create thousands of new jobs. “Many of our customers are signing up for the Challenge and reaching and exceeding their goals,” DuChane said.

On the Horizon

What lies ahead for HVAC? DuChane said retailers can expect to see quite a few developments in the next five to 10 years from major HVAC manufacturers.

“DOE regulations effective January 1, 2018 and then again on January 1, 2023 will drive manufacturers to part load efficiency of our units,” DuChane predicted. “The industry is working on upgrading the part load performance of rooftop units, and that’s a good thing, because that’s where most buildings operate, so they would benefit from it.”

Additionally, data and connected technologies will become more and more prevalent in the HVAC arena.

“Connected buildings and using data to make decisions, will become much easier to manage,” DuChane explained. Although many FMs have access to building systems data, DuChane said what really counts is how that data is used.

“Buildings today are full of hidden potential. It comes down to how you understand it and make changes, how you adapt, how you see how your building is operating based on that data,” he said. “In the next five to 10 years it’s going to be incredible how actionable data and insights will help guide the way building owners operate their buildings.”   

Greg DuChane

By: Amy Bell 

More than $10,000 donated to Children’s Miracle Network

It started in Milan, Italy and ended in Seattle, Washington, spanning 15 cities, and continued for 16 hours. PRSM Local Connect Coast2Coast, the premier PRSM networking event of the year, provided members the opportunity to reconnect, build new relationships and support Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.

More than 320 PRSM retailers and suppliers attended and donated $10,814. Donations directly benefited local Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in each city. “We wanted to ensure donations by local PRSM members benefited a local charity and Children’s Miracle Network of hospitals provided us the perfect opportunity,” said Bill Ackerman, National Sales Director, Vixxo Sign & Lighting, and Chair of the PRSM Charity Committee.

Donations were fueled by friendly competition between cities. Columbus, OH jumped out to an early lead – even before the event began. However, when the final minutes ticked down, Chicago edged out L.A by just $48, topping the list with $2,052. Five cities surpassed $1,000 – Chicago with $2,052, L.A. -$2,004, Columbus-$1,400, New York City-$1,025 and Boston-$1,000. 

Attendees shared their networking and giving experiences through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media throughout the evening.

PRSM Local Connect is the single largest networking event PRSM conducts each year. However, there are numerous PRSM networking events held throughout the year to provide suppliers and retailers the opportunity to collaborate and connect. Make plans now to attend the next networking event in your area. A complete list of events can be found on prsm.com.

By: Bruce Condit