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Hannaford Brothers Company in Vermont Achieves ENERGY STAR Designation

Release Date: 11/29/2006
Contact Information: Caitlyn Hunt (617) 918-1748

Release Date: 11/29/06Boston, Mass. - Nov. 29, 2006) - Hannaford Brothers Company has been awarded ENERGY STAR labels by EPA for demonstrating superior energy performance at six of its Vermont grocery stores, including three in the Burlington area, as well as in St. Albans, Barre and Rutland. Hannaford is one of a few companies in New England to earn EPA’s prestigious ENERGY STAR Leaders designation this year, for the overall performance of its 158 stores throughout New England and New York.

“Across New England, energy savings are soaring because organizations like Hannaford are making smart energy decisions that are good for the environment and good for their bottom line,” said EPA Regional Administrator Robert W. Varney. “Hannaford has shown innovation, good management and a commitment to leading the way with a new generation of environmentally-preferable building management practices.”

Compared to similar buildings with average energy performance, EPA calculates that the six Hannaford grocery stores in Vermont used 40% less energy.

The six Hannaford stores in Vermont awarded ENERGY STAR Labels in 2006 are:

· 1127 North Ave., Burlington
· 217 Dorset Street, South Burlington
· 78 Marshall Avenue, Williston
· 456 South Barre Road, Barre
· 241 South Main Street, Rutland
· 277 Swanton Road, St. Albans

When a building uses less energy, it generates less pollution. EPA estimates that the six ENERGY STAR labeled Hannaford stores in Vermont avoided more than 19 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually - the equivalent of taking more than 1800 cars off the road for one year.

”Hannaford is committed to energy conservation and environmental sustainability,” said Al Lesage, District Manager for Hannaford Supermarkets in Vermont. “We have worked closely with the EPA and appreciate their recognition of our efforts in this important area.”

Hannaford achieved superior energy performance at its stores through a combination of technology upgrades and management improvements. These upgrades and improvements include:

· Efficient T8 fluorescent lighting with electronic ballasts in its stores.
· The "Hannaford" sign is illuminated with red LEDs, a much more efficient alternative to the traditional neon system.
· The North Avenue store in Burlington maximizes the use of natural light through prismatic skylights.
· Hannaford stores operate very efficiently by re-using waste heat from refrigeration for space heating.
· The Building Automation System (BAS) integrates control of lighting, refrigeration, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
· Careful monitoring and electric sub-metering of building systems keeps the system functioning smoothly.
In addition to leadership on energy efficiency in store operations, Hannaford is a member of EPA’s SmartWaySM Partnership - a voluntary collaboration between U.S. EPA and the freight industry to increase energy efficiency while significantly reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution. Hannaford has improved the efficiency of its fleet by:

· Upgrading portions of its fleet with more aerodynamic and lighter vehicles, reducing the weight of trucks by 400 pounds without sacrificing performance or driver comfort;
· Installing single-wide tires to improve fuel efficiency and automatic idle shutdown mechanisms to reduce truck idling; and
· Making operational improvements to save fuel and reduce emissions – including the use of tandem trailers, improved weight distribution within trucks, and changes in delivery practices so that each store gets the products it needs with fewer deliveries.

Hannaford’s leadership on the trucking side of its operations provides another great model for New England companies looking to improve their environmental performance.

Hannaford Bros. Co., based in Scarborough, Maine, operates 158 stores under the Hannaford Supermarket and Hannaford Supermarket and Pharmacy names. Hannaford stores feature Guiding Stars, a simple, easy-to-use tool to help customers locate the most nutritious foods in the store quickly and easily. Hannaford employs more than 26,000 associates. The company is owned by Delhaize Group of Brussels, Belgium. Additional information can be found at www.hannaford.com

ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program helping businesses and consumers protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. By partnering with EPA through ENERGY STAR, more than 8,000 private and public sector organizations, in 2005 alone, saved 150 billion kilowatt-hours – equivalent to 4% of U.S. electricity demand, and avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 23 million cars – all while saving $12 billion.

EPA provides easy-to-use tools to help building owners and managers reduce energy use. The national building energy performance rating system helps building managers rate the efficiency of their buildings on a scale of 1 to 100 points, set goals for improving building efficiency, and document improvements. Companies and organizations earn the ENERGY STAR Leaders recognition when they have either documented a 10 point or greater improvement across all of the buildings within their organization or have earned an exemplary average rating across all buildings.

ENERGY STAR Leaders manage over 212 million square feet of building space -- more than the combined office space of Boston, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. These grocery stores, offices, hotels, and schools achieve significant energy savings with simple steps, such as turning off lights and computers while not in use, setting temperatures that balance comfort and efficiency, upgrading to more efficient lighting, and more. ENERGY STAR Leaders also demonstrate a corporate commitment to energy efficiency, with involvement at all levels from students to executives.

Announced in 2005, the Energy Star Challenge encourages building owners and managers to reduce energy use by 10 percent or more. Commercial and institutional buildings use about $80 billion worth of energy each year and contribute about 20 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. EPA estimates that if each building owner met this challenge, by 2015 Americans would reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to those from 15 million vehicles, while saving about $10 billion.