There can be no greater influence over our lives than the built environment.

The places we live, work, learn, enjoy leisure, entertainment and shop all have a significant impact on our world through the emission of greenhouse gases, the production of waste and the consumption of electricity, water, timber, and other materials.

Sustainability in the built environment

Today in the building sector transformation is taking place to mitigate the effects of climate change and contribute to an energy efficient world. It is estimated that buildings account for almost half of global carbon emissions and account for 40 per cent of the world’s energy consumption.

Driven by global government and business initiatives to drive down carbon emissions sustainability matters more than ever to the building sector.

A recent report from the World Business Council for Sustainable Developments (WBCSD) has called for tougher building codes to beat climate change. Bjorn Stigson, president WBCSD believes that without immediate action thousands of new buildings would be constructed without concern for energy efficiency and millions of existing inefficient buildings would still be standing in 2060.

A new role for supermarkets

When it comes to tackling climate change head-on the retail industry and in particular UK supermarkets are leading the way.

The supermarket sector is embracing the green building movement with the imagination and vision that will transform the perception of supermarkets and their role in a sustainable society and economy. This is propelled by a genuine desire to promote a low-carbon society through a commitment to sustainable construction. There is a new recognition that long term economic success depends on a sensible balance between the price-profit ethos and sustainability.

Sustainability in design

Sustainable builds have progressed from bolt on options to integrated design approaches that result in superior low energy solutions that improve occupational amenity, reduce capital expenditure and operating costs and position the supermarket firmly in the community as a good neighbour.

Sustainable design is about fulfilling a project’s purpose far beyond a functional build.

New projects need to first consider:

• What is the project’s flow of resources, materials and emissions over time?
• How do you eliminate waste of effort, energy, water, materials and other resources?
• What are the full life-cycle costs and benefits of the design?
• What is the difference in value between your design and a business as usual approach? Do your methods of project management ensure a team approach to integrated design?
• Have your operations been involved in the design process?
• Have you considered an approach that takes account of future technology and options to upgrade the build over time?

Sustainable building design will by necessity involve a review of building services, its structures, architectural designs and the detailed design of energy efficiency options including natural lighting and ventilation and technology and systems to monitor and manage building energy.

Some additional areas for consideration might include:

• Selective use of building materials – choosing sustainable options, considering carbon and water content and dismantling and recycling options
• Heating and air-conditioning design to reduce heat loss in winter and ventilation in summer
• Managing energy and water using metering systems that provide real-time data; collecting rainwater and auditing the use of electrical appliances
• Generating in-store electricity –through renewable power generation
• Implementing refrigeration technology less damaging than traditional fridge gases.

Investing in sustainable technology

International retailer Tesco, have taken this approach a step further with a demonstrated industry role in tackling climate change. They are innovating and investing in sustainable technology while using relationships with their customers and supply chain to promote green consumption in a genuine desire to reduce carbon emissions.

The recently opened Tesco store in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, England, demonstrated that the greatest potential comes from new stores where sustainable design principles can be integrated early at the design phase.

The new store is timber framed and has been built using a low carbon blueprint.

Early on in the design process it was decided to incorporate timber in the frame. It was noted that for every cubic metre of steel replaced by timber represented a saving of almost a tonne of carbon. As wood is less energy intensive to produce and was obtained from sustainable spruce forests – at the end of the store’s life, the wood can be recycled to build another store or use as a fuel source.

The decision to incorporate a timber frame in the design characterised a new architectural and sustainable approach that delivered an aesthetic, economic and innovative result.

In particular, the use of a hybrid timber/bow string truss element in the building frame delivered a sustainable engineered solution that provided a high degree of natural lighting. This design element led to the installation of special windows in the roof allowing natural daylight into areas that would not normally receive any in a traditional supermarket design. In addition a sophisticated lighting system is used that automatically dims individual lights when natural light increases.

The knock-on effects from natural light cannot be underestimated. Having natural daylight available provided savings on energy costs even during the build phase with additional benefits occurring for the entire life of the building.

The Cheetham Hill store represents the first finished example of a new low carbon blueprint and includes design considerations to improve the efficiency of heating and ventilation systems, running a combined heating and power (CHP) plant to generate electricity and a shop fit out that considers every element of design for optimal environmental improvements. Since it is estimated that more than a fifth of the carbon footprint comes from gas used to keep fridges and freezers cold refrigeration systems have been introduced that are cooled with carbon dioxide and instead of using fluorescent bulbs to light freezers low-energy LED lights are used.

With a massive 70 per cent reduction in the carbon footprint compared to a similar store built in 2006 the results speak for themselves. This includes a 31 per cent improvement in energy efficiency and a 20 per cent carbon saving from the use of a biofuel CHP plant.

Tesco’s design philosophy ensures the design can be rolled out across all new store formats. In addition elements could also be retrofitted into existing stores, including small power plants and wind turbines where planning allows.

Leading by example

Supermarkets, having set themselves ambitious targets are embracing sustainable build principles with vigour. They are in a unique position to positively influence their customers, partners and suppliers; too long accused of complacency and inaction they are carving out a leadership role and raising the bar for other sectors to follow.

Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) works with Tesco to provide structural engineering services in support of their retail network development. SKM worked closely with Tesco and as a member of an integrated design team to deliver the benchmark Cheetham Hill store.

© Sinclair Knight Merz
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