Lowe's 2015 Annual Report Download - page 14

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domain names that are important to our business, and we also own registered and unregistered copyrights. In addition, we
maintain patent portfolios related to some of our products and services and seek to patent or otherwise protect certain
innovations that we incorporate into our products, services, or business operations.
Environmental Stewardship
Lowe’s recognizes how efficient operations can help protect the environment and our bottom line. We examine our operations
regularly to deliver energy efficiency, reduce fuel consumption, and minimize waste generation through increased recycling.
We also invest in technology that will help us operate our facilities more efficiently and environmentally responsibly.
We annually track our carbon footprint and participate in the Carbon Disclosure Project, an independent nonprofit organization
hosting the largest database of primary corporate climate change information in the world. To further reduce our carbon
footprint, we incorporate energy-efficient technologies and architectural systems into new stores and retrofits of existing stores,
such as energy-efficient lighting, white membrane cool roofs, and HVAC units that meet or exceed ENERGY STAR
qualifications. We also participate in demand response programs by voluntarily reducing our lighting and HVAC loads during
peak demand periods to support electric grid reliability.
During 2015, we began testing a state-of-the-art building management system in stores to control lighting, air conditioning and
other building systems. We also implemented a light-emitting diode (LED) lighting initiative in select markets and new stores.
All light sources for new stores constructed in the future will be LED.
We strive to deliver products to our stores in a fuel-efficient and an environmentally responsible manner through participation
in the SmartWay® Transport Partnership, an innovative program launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
in 2004 that promotes cleaner, more fuel-efficient transportation options. Lowe’s received a 2015 SmartWay Excellence Award
from the EPA, our seventh consecutive SmartWay honor, for our commitment to environmental excellence in freight
management operations and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and other harmful pollutants. We have also increased
shipping of products by rail and increased the efficiency of truckload shipments to and from our RDCs.
We continue to take steps to improve our recycling programs and reduce the amount of waste we generate. Through these
efforts, we are able to reduce our disposal costs and minimize the impact on the environment of the operation of our stores and
other facilities. We also offer convenient recycling for our customers at many of our stores for items such as rechargeable
batteries, plastic bags and compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Additionally, we continue to focus on helping consumers reduce their energy and water use and their environmental footprint
while saving money when they purchase our products and services. We offer a wide selection of environmentally responsible
and energy-efficient products for the home, including ENERGY STAR® appliances, WaterSense® labeled toilets, paint with no
volatile organic compounds (VOC), and indoor and outdoor LED lighting. Through our in-home sales specialists, we offer
customers installation of insulation and energy efficient windows.
For more information on Lowe’s environmental efforts, please visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility.
Compliance with Environmental Matters
Our operations are subject to numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations that have been enacted or adopted
regulating the discharge of materials into the environment, or otherwise relating to the protection of the environment. These
laws and regulations may increase our costs of doing business in a variety of ways, including indirectly through increased
energy costs, as utilities, refineries, and other major emitters of greenhouse gases are subjected to additional regulation or
legislation that seeks to better control greenhouse gas emissions. We do not anticipate any material capital expenditures during
fiscal 2016 for environmental control facilities or other costs of compliance with such laws or regulations.
Investing in Our Communities
Lowe’s has a long and proud history of supporting local communities through public education and community improvement
projects, beginning with the creation of the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation in 1957. In 2015, Lowe’s and the
Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation donated more than $33 million to schools and community organizations in the
United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Our commitment to improving educational opportunities is best exemplified by our signature education grant program, Lowe’s
Toolbox for Education®, and 2015 marked the program’s 10-year anniversary. Since its inception, Lowe’s Toolbox for