Content about IKEA

IKEA officially plugged in two Blink Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations at its Portland, Ore., store as part of its partnership with ECOtality, a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies.

The initiative is the first such project for IKEA in the United States. Similar installations are planned at eight other IKEA stores in the western United States.

IKEA's 2012 home catalog promotes the theme of “small,” with ideas on how to make more out of less space.

What's the latest home design trend coming out of Sweden? According to the 2012 IKEA catalog, the answer is small.

The company's latest catalog, which runs an impressive 376 pages, carries the cover line: "A home doesn't need to be big, just smart." The catalog kicks off with a photo essay explaining how six friends might decide to live together in 430 square feet.

IKEA officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed at its store in East Palo Alto, Calif.  

The 38,000-square-foot array consists of a 302-kW system, built with approximately 1,344 panels.  IKEA East Palo Alto’s program will produce approximately 427,900 kWh of clean electricity annually – the equivalent of eliminating the emissions of 58 cars, the company said.

IKEA will open its first store in Colorado this summer with a Denver area location in Centennial, Colo. The grand opening is set for July 27, much earlier than originally planned due to the fast pace of construction and “timely reviews by local authorities,” according to the home furnishings retailer.

The 415,000 sq. ft. store is being built on 13.5 acres. In addition to solar panels on the roof, the Denver location will be IKEA’s first store to integrate a geothermal component as part of its heating/cooling system.

The Swedish furniture and home furnishings retailer is preparing for Earth Day by describing sustainability as "the never ending job."

The company also is promoting what it calls a "Never ending list" of small improvements toward a more sustainable IKEA.