IN BRIEF (Page 14)

Flagship green store

Retail giant Wal-Mart launched its first energy-efficient store in China in Beijing's Wangjing area. The new store is said to be the green standard for its subsequent stores and save 23 percent of electricity as well as 17 percent of water use, annually.

The company also claims that it will reform its old stores to enhance energy-efficiency by at least 30 percent by 2012.