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Join Maine's Hannaford Supermarkets Reducing Carbon Emissions More than 17% in Governor's Carbon Challenge

Join Hannaford’s more than 50 Maine Supermarkets which have collectively reduced their carbon emissions by more than 17% as a Governor’s Carbon Challenge participant. Combining the winning strategies of reducing carbon, conserving energy, and saving money, Hannaford has again exceeded their 15% reduction goal, and is continuing to provide environmental leadership in carbon reduction and energy efficiency.

Hannaford’s recently opened Augusta store is the first of approximately 85,000 supermarkets in the United States to achieve Platinum LEED certification, the highest standard of the USA Green Building Council. The store is expected to utilize about only half as much energy as a typical supermarket of comparable size and amenities, in addition to improving carbon emissions reductions, water efficiency, and indoor environmental quality.

Hannaford’s Augusta LEED certified supermarket store features include:

  • A state-of-the-art GreenChill refrigeration system, which uses 50 percent less refrigerant;
  • Doors on nearly all freezer and refrigerated cases, which save energy and create a more comfortable in-store temperature for shoppers;
  • The largest solar panel array in the state, providing a renewable source of energy;
  • Water from two geothermal wells, located 750 feet underground, helps regulate the buildings temperature;
  • Radiant heat is utilized to heat the concrete floors in the check-out area and to melt snow off of the entryway sidewalk in the winters;
  • More than 3,500 natural, organic products along with hundreds of local products.

Hannaford was started on the Portland Maine waterfront in 1883 and present-day supermarkets (170 stores) service Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York. It is also the largest certified-organic supermarket in the region and provides local and organic products from farms and businesses “close to home” to help reduce carbon footprint and support local businesses. Their Corporate office is located in Scarborough and three distribution centers are located in South Portland, Winthrop, and New York. Hannaford has also opened stores in 2009 in Augusta, Winthrop, China, and Gray.

For more information about participation in the Governor’s Carbon Challenge and Maine’s Environmental Leader programs, contact our Maine Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Innovation and Assistance or call 1-800-789-9802.

October, 2009