Walgreen Co.
At a Glance
Industry
Retail and Apparel
Project Types
Commercial Energy Efficiency, Data Analysis, Engagement and Behavior Change, Industrial Energy Efficiency
Year
2017
Location
Deerfield, IL
Summary
Nikhil Dange analyzed energy use, quantified the impact of Energy Management Systems and developed a platform for measuring and verifying energy savings for Walgreen Co.
Goals
One of the largest drug store chains in the US, Walgreen Co., enlisted EDF Climate Corps fellow Nikhil Dange to investigate energy efficiency opportunities across seven pilot locations in the Chicago area. Walgreen Co. has set an ambitious goal of reducing energy use by 20% by 2020 across 100 million square feet of real estate, from a FY2011 baseline, in owned and operated facilities. While the company needed support in understanding the current state of energy use, exploring energy consumption trends and recommending an energy efficiency strategy.
Solutions
After collecting energy consumption data from seven pilot locations and researching the trends in energy consumption across key load areas, i.e., HVAC, refrigeration, lighting, plug load, and others, Dange identified potential opportunities for energy savings. Supported by a data analysis plan, he developed recommendations which focused on process improvement, equipment maintenance and equipment upgrades. Apart from focusing on energy efficiency opportunities, his analysis uncovered the role of sophisticated Energy Management Systems in reducing overall energy use. Dange also baselined historical use data for measurement and verification of savings from energy efficiency programs. To prioritize recommendations with the greatest impact, he developed a financial model that calculated annual financial impacts and overall kWh savings of each recommendation. Finally, Dange highlighted an action plan to mitigate the implementation barriers in its energy efficiency strategy, helping meet Walgreen Co. its consumption reduction goal.
Potential Impact
Dange’s recommendations not only validated the existing roadmap for Walgreen Co.’s Better Buildings Initiative goal, but aims to accelerate the implementation of key energy efficiency strategies. Moving forward, Walgreen Co. has a better understanding of the opportunities and barriers in accomplishing its environmental goal.