in its quest to be a greener retailer, regional chain Harris Teeter said yesterday it will feature the first advanced compact chiller refrigeration system of its kind in the country, at its newest store location in Charlotte, N.C.

The new 48,000-square-foot Harris Teeter, located in The Shoppes at Ardrey Kell, is scheduled to open on May 7.

Matthews, N.C.-based Harris Teeter said shoppers will also find a variety of ways to help make a difference in their community with the opportunity to recycle both paper and plastic grocery bags at the front entrance. In addition, Harris Teeter shoppers can purchase reusable shopping bags for just 99 cents.

The compact chiller refrigeration system is designed to significantly reduce the leak potential of greenhouse gases, the retailer said. All refrigerant in this system is confined to the machine room, and the system utilizes modular technology that confines the refrigerant charge to 13 individual units.

The most the advanced refrigeration system can lose from a single leak of green house gas is 7.75 pounds, compared to nearly 1800 pounds on a normal system. This means Harris Teeter's leak potential of green house gas is less than 1 percent. The first advance refrigeration system reduces the refrigerant load by 97 percent in medium temperature systems.

In addition, energy-efficient LED lighting will be used in the freezer cases, saving the equivalent of over 3,340 gallons of gasoline annually, Harris Teeter said. Using ultra low-flow fixtures in the restrooms will save 131,400 gallons of water per year.

Harris Teeter said it will apply for Energy Star certification for the store. The company currently operates 34 stores with Energy Star certification and said it plans to have a total of 60 certified stores by the end of 2008.