Regional independent Giant Eagle, Inc., received three awards from the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership for its efforts in energy savings and sustainable practices in its stores.

The awards were presented Aug. 18 at the Food Marketing Institute’s Sustainability Summit in San Francisco. The Pittsburgh-based grocer received GreenChill’s 2008 Best Partner Emissions Rate Award for achieving the lowest refrigerant leak rate of the GreenChill partners, GreenChill’s 2008 Exceptional Goal Achievement Award for exceeding GreenChill standards in reductions of refrigerant emissions, and GreenChill’s 2008 Superior Goal Achievement Award for achieving GreenChill’s target rate for overall emissions.

“We’re honored to help lead our industry in refrigeration management by advancing new technology and best practices,” said Kevin Shelton, VP of store planning, equipment buying and engineering at Giant Eagle. “Our team members are dedicated to ensuring that Giant Eagle remains a good steward of the environment, and it is through their hard work that we are recognized today.”

In further GreenChill news, Raley’s Family of Fine Stores won GreenChill’s New Partner Award just eight months after joining the program.

“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized as a leader in the industry for our efficient refrigeration systems -- Raley’s, Petaluma and Nob Hill Foods, San Jose (on Snell Ave.) earning gold certification and Raley’s, San Pablo and Nob Hill Foods, Mountain View earning silver certification from the EPA,” said Randy Walthers, Raley’s energy manager. “We look forward to continuing our work with the GreenChill Partnership on promoting green technologies, strategies, and practices to protect the ozone layer and significantly reduce greenhouse gases.”

As a new partner, Raley’s pledged to:

--Go above and beyond regulatory requirements by measuring and tracking refrigerant emissions that affect climate change and the earth’s ozone layer, and then setting reduction targets for these emissions

--Participate in government/industry research initiatives to assess the performance of cutting-edge, “green” refrigeration technologies

--Participate in committees that draft best practice guidelines on advanced technologies, strategies and practices that aid the supermarket industry in reducing its impact on the ozone layer and climate change

--Counteract the depletion of stratospheric ozone, which protects earth’s citizens from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Partners guarantee to use only ozone-friendly alternatives and advanced refrigeration technologies in all new and remodeled stores

The GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership is an EPA program in which participating supermarkets, refrigeration equipment manufacturers and other stakeholders work together to help reduce refrigerant leaks and potentially damaging emissions. Giant Eagle became a founding member GreenChill partner in 2007.

“As the winner two years in a row of GreenChill’s ‘Best Emissions Rate’ award, Giant Eagle is setting the pace in the supermarket industry for refrigerant leak rate reductions,” noted Keilly Witman of EPA’s GreenChill Partnership. “With a corporate-wide refrigerant leak rate below 8 percent, Giant Eagle continues to set a stellar example for industry.”

Giant Eagle operates 160 corporate stores and supports 60 independently owned and operated supermarkets in addition to 153 fuel and convenience stores throughout western Pennsylvania, Ohio, north central West Virginia and Maryland.

West Sacramento, Calif.-based Raley’s is a privately owned supermarket chain that comprises four chains: Raley’s, Bel Air Markets, Nob Hill Foods and Food Source in Northern California and Nevada.