Kesko Food opens the first food store in the world that relies largely on LED technology
KESKO FOOD LTD PRESS RELEASE 11.10.2010 AT 10.00 1(2)
K-supermarket Torpparinmäki, which will be opened in Helsinki in October, is the first store in the world with the energy efficient LED lighting system throughout the premises. Thanks to their energy saving measures, Kesko Food and K-food stores have achieved significant energy savings and new methods of saving energy are being continuously developed.
The K-Group is working on a systematic and committed basis to achieve energy savings. The K-Group has signed the trading sector energy agreement and made a commitment to save over 65 million kilowatt hours (kWh) by the end of 2016.
"We want to be a pioneer in energy savings. LED technology has been used in K-food stores' signage for several years now, but K-supermarket Torpparinmäki is the first store in the world in which the general lighting is implemented with LED lamps designed for stores. The LED lighting of a retail store consumes over 35 percent less energy than traditional fluorescent tubes," says Jari Suuronen, Kesko Food's Maintenance Manager.
In addition to low energy consumption, the benefits of LED technology also include more accurate focusing of the light. Moreover, LED lamps have extremely long life: they need to be changed about every ten years. And when changing the lamp, only the LED panel is replaced, not the whole system.
K-food stores will also continue adding lids and doors to existing freezers, which has produced good results. The annual energy savings achieved by this have so far amounted to 11.6 million kilowatt hours (ikWh), which correspond the annual electricity consumption of nearly 600 one-family houses.
"The total length of K-food stores' refrigeration equipment's lids and doors is already over four and a half kilometres. Since 2008, refrigeration equipment of all new K-food stores has been fitted with lids and doors. In addition, lids have been installed to existing chest freezers in some 50 stores. Chest freezers with lids save 30-40% of energy compared with uncovered freezers," says Timo Jäske, Kesko Food's Environmental Manager.
Significant electricity savings are generated thanks to fewer defrostings needed and the smaller fan and refrigeration power required. The steady temperature achieved by lids also contributes to maintaining the high quality of foods. The operating life of equipment increases, the store air-conditioning becomes easier to adjust, and less dust means less need for cleaning and maintenance. Expenses arising from operating interruptions or power failures also decrease.
Kesko participates in the national energy-saving week from October 11 to 17. Read more at www.motiva.fi.
Further information:
Maintenance Manager Jari Suuronen, Kesko Food Ltd, tel. +358 1053 22271
Environmental Manager Timo Jäske, Kesko Food Ltd, tel. +358 1053 28222
Kesko (www.kesko.fi) is a retail specialist whose stores offer quality to the daily lives of consumers. Kesko has about 2,000 stores engaged in chain operations in the Nordic and Baltic countries, Russia, and Belarus.
Kesko Food and K-food stores support and promote healthy eating habits and provide their customers with options to encourage responsible consumption. Kesko Food's and K-food stores' responsibility work focuses on looking after their employees and developing responsibly produced selections for the Pirkka range in particular, such as Pirkka Fairtrade products, Pirkka Organic products and Pirkka products with environmental labelling. Kesko Food and K-food stores also work continuously to save energy and the climate. The K-Group uses the K-environmental store operating model, in which special attention is paid to decreasing the environmental impact of stores. The K-environmental store operating model has already been adopted by 460 K-food stores. All 70 K-citymarkets and nearly all of the K-supermarkets, currently 170, are now K-environmental stores. Half of the K-markets are included under the concept, and the number keeps growing.
