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San Diego, Calif. -- Audio products company Parametric Sound Corp. said Tuesday that Build-A-Bear Workshop will include its directed sound product in six newly designed stores that will be opened across the U.S. this year.  

The HyperSound product will allow Build-A-Bear to simultaneously operate multiple interactive kiosks within the store, each playing its own specific audio message.

By Dan Olson, dolson@ecova.com

Springfield, N.J. -- Luxury watch maker Tag Heuer opened its second North American flagship boutique, an 800-sq.-ft. space in Aventura Mall, Aventura, Fla.

The store is designed as a "lifestyle lounge" and is adorned with Tag Heuer accessories that range from vintage stainless steel cufflinks to the brand's technologically advanced eyewear and communication devices.

New York City -- A new report from Pike Research forecasts that LEDs will capture 52% of the commercial lighting market by 2021. Pike, a cleantech market intelligence firm, anticipates that LED lighting costs for various SSL products will be reduced by 80% to 90% in many cases during the next decade.

Belmont, Calif. -- SunEdison, a leading worldwide solar energy services provider and Staples announced a production milestone of more than 30 million kilowatt-hours of energy produced through solar installations on Staples' properties.

For commercial, on-premise signs, luminance (brightness) emerged as a key issue in 2005, when the California Energy Commission (CEC) first adopted the Title 24 regulations for electric signs. 


Satellite Beach, Fla. -- General Nutrition Centers has installed high performance, energy efficient LED bulbs from Lighting Science Group bulbs at select corporate-owned locations.

The Energy Star-approved LEDs are 80% more efficient than the halogen bulbs they replaced, are fully dimmable and have about 50% light output than competing products, according to the company.

New York City -- Next-generation digital signage that uses the latest in holographic imaging and audio-visual technology to create the illusion of a real person is making its U.S. debut at Duane Reade’s new flagship in downtown Manhattan.

Information is power, particularly when it comes to energy consumption. Just ask Deneice Marshall, director of retail services for Brookshire Brothers Food & Pharmacy. The Lufkin, Texas-based chain receives a detailed analysis of its energy use each month via meter data reports. The reports summarize energy consumption for both Brookshire’s entire supermarket portfolio and each individual site. 


Brookshire receives the monthly, easy-to-interpret reports from Novar, Cleveland, whose sub-meters are installed in the company’s 73 supermarkets. 


Wayne, N.J. – Toys "R" Us is installing the largest rooftop solar power installation in North America at its distribution center in Flanders, N.J. Staging for the system is currently underway and construction will conclude this summer. Upon completion, the 5.38 megawatt on-site solar array will occupy 869,294 sq. ft. It is estimated to generate 72% of the electrical needs for the Toys "R" Us facility, which is the largest of the chain’s 10 DCs and covers over 1.5 million sq. ft., in addition to the roof, which spans 32 acres.

Burbank, Calif. -- Ikea on Wednesday went live with the solar energy system installed at its store in Burbank, Calif. The 35,000-sq.-ft. array consists of a 290-kW system, built with approximately 1,260 panels. 

The installation will produce approximately 421,300 kWh of electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing at least 334 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). The initiative will contribute to the local utility’s renewable portfolio goals and will lower the carbon intensity of the electrical grid.

New York City -- Tesco has installed wind turbines, each with a capacity of nearly 1 MW, at three of its grocery distribution centers.

The company installed two of the 90-meter, 800kW wind turbines at its distribution center near Newport in Wales, BusinessGreen reported. The other turbines are at two sites in England’s Midlands region.