Best Buy Cutting Energy Consumption In Stores

By Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 10/27/2011

Minneapolis - Best Buy plans to implement a new automated energy-management system in all of its U.S. retail stores that is expected to reduce the company's energy costs and carbon outputs by 15 percent within three years.

The chain will begin implementing the system in about 300 locations by Jan. 31, and expects to have it rolled out to all 1,105 flagship stores by mid-2012.

Best Buy said the system will have no impact on jobs, and will save the company about $1,500 per month per store on power, or some $71 million over six years. It currently spends about $10,000 a month per U.S. store on energy.

Once the savings have been proven, the company will consider extending the system to distribution centers, territory offices and retail operations worldwide.

"Not only is energy management and efficiency a top priority for Best Buy from an environmental standpoint, but it is the smart thing to do for our business," said executive VP and chief administrative officer Tim Sheehan.

He added that the program will help the company meet its overall goal of reducing carbon across its brands and operations by 20 percent over the next eight years. Among other initiatives, Best Buy has also eliminated 4,700 tons of carbon emissions by replacing 264 full-size Geek Squad vans with smaller utility vehicles that reduced the fleet's fuel consumption by about 4 percent.