M&S most sustainable store to open

The Simply Food Store is on Ecclesall Road in Sheffield and will be the first of a number of planned ‘Sustainable Learning’ stores.

The stores will be zero carbon in the construction and will be made from 100% recycled material. The Sheffield store is being built on a former brownfield site and M&S says it is set to achieve a BREEAM rating of Excellent.

100% of the construction waste produced in the building of the store has been recycled. The building is constructed from sustainable timber sources and the bricks have been reclaimed from an old mill.

Sustainable features will include harvested rainwater supplying the toilts, heating will be provided from the heating expelled from the refrigeration units and efficient LED lighting will be used throughout the store.

Customers can benefit from electric car charging points in the car park. The trolley and cycle shelters will be made from FSE certified wood and have a green sedum roof.

All of the employees at the store will be trained to understand the environmental features of the store and will be encouraged to communicate the information with the customers.

The UK Green Building Council CEO, Paul King, of said: “Sustainability is increasingly important in the construction and property sector and major companies like M&S have a crucial role in driving that process, particularly given the relationship not just with suppliers, but also with consumers.

“This new M&S store at Ecclesall Road is an impressive achievement, not only for its host of environmental features and the positive social effect it will have on the local community, but also the lessons that will be learnt for both M&S and the wider construction industry.”

The opening of Ecclesall Road will be followed by 2 more M&S sustainable learning stores – Stratford City in late 2011 and Cheshire Oaks in 2012.

Alison Brown