Ikea U.S. has announced two major sustainability initiatives: a solar installation project that will add solar car parks, additional rooftop solar panels and battery energy storage systems to seven of its stores across the United States, and a renewable heating and cooling project, or RHC, to replace and optimize existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems beginning with five stores in 2023.
The projects align with the company’s goal to increase onsite renewable energy, increase energy efficiency and eliminate the use of fossil fuels across its operations, Ikea noted
The solar installation project is in its second phase, and the six stores involved include those in Brooklyn, NY; Covina, CA; New Haven, CT; Paramus, NJ; Stoughton, MA; and Tempe, AZ. The project also includes solar installation at the Ikea fulfillment facility in Tejon, CA. The Paramus Ikea was the first to have mechanical solar panel completion in July 2023 and features the company’s initial long-span car park system that maximizes the number of panels and covers the entire parking deck roof. Ikea slated project completion at the California buildings to happen by the end of this year while the other locations will finish up in 2024.
The RHC project will replace and optimize existing HVAC equipment with new centralized systems that provide high energy efficiency and coefficient performance, the company asserted. Ikea has identified five stores for 2023 upgrades: Canton, MI; Draper, UT; Orlando, FL; Round Rock, TX; and Tampa, FL. It’s a four-stage project occurring while stores remain open and will take about a year to complete.
“We are taking bold steps to reduce our climate footprint in the United States and become a climate-positive business by 2030. The solar project aligns with our goal of being powered by 100% renewable energy, while the renewable heating and cooling project works toward increased energy efficiency and the goal of eliminating fossil fuels from our operations by 80% by 2030,” said Mardi Ditze, country sustainability manager, Ikea U.S., in announcing the company’s latest eco-friendly initiative.
Ikea U.S. engineer Adrian Avino added, “At Ikea, we are driven by a vision to create a positive impact on the environment while delivering innovative and sustainable solutions to our customers. Our RHC projects are a crucial part of our real estate contribution to building decarbonization and increased energy efficiency. This year is only the beginning as we have a roadmap in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% across our operations by 2030.”
