Walmart and GE transforming retail lighting with energy-efficient LEDs globally

Walmart announces plans to purchase energy-efficient LED lighting fixtures for new supercenters in the United States, stores in Asia and Latin America and Asda locations in the UK. The new fixtures will use 40 percent less energy than lighting sources historically used in stores, and will help further the retailer’s goal to reduce the kilowatt hour (kWh) per sq ft of energy required to power Walmart’s buildings globally 20 percent by 2020.This is Walmart’s largest purchase of GE LED lighting to date, and the most recent example of leadership from Walmart and GE to find and scale innovative, energy-efficient lighting solutions.

With the main sales floor lighting representing approximately 90 percent of the total lighting usage in each building, this implementation will reduce energy use per store by more than 5percent in the U.S. alone. The lights have a longer life span than traditional lighting fixtures and also offer significant savings in maintenance costs. Installation of the new GE LED ceiling lighting will kick off this month at Asda, Walmart’s business in the U.K. In 2014 alone, Walmart and GE project over all new stores and lighting energy savings compared to prior lighting fixtures.