Marks & Spencer has announced today that work is well underway on its first ‘green’ M&S Simply Food store which will be located in Galashiels.

The 9,000 sq ft store will open in late October under M&S’ latest signature style and will incorporate a host of ‘eco-features’ that will significantly reduce its carbon footprint and improve its energy efficiency.

On completion of the work the store will use up to 25 per cent less energy and emit up to 95 per cent less carbon dioxide than an average Simply Food store as it will be powered by renewable green energy – one of the major factors contributing to the carbon savings.

Other savings will be achieved via a combination of installing lobby areas to improve air tightness and minimise heat and energy loss, as well as more efficient lighting, refrigeration and heating and ventilation systems.

For example, roof mounted sun pipes and wind catchers will be installed to provide natural daylight and ventilation to staff areas and hot water will generated through heat recovered from the refrigeration plant. Daylight sensors will be installed in the windows to ensure that the lights only come on when needed.

The store will use approximately 15% less water than a comparable M&S store through the installation of low volume dual flush toilets in staff and customer areas and low water consumption showers for staff. Additionally rainwater will be harvested and used to flush toilets – again reducing the amount of water needed to operate the store.

The store will also be one of the first to have fridges that operate on hydrocarbon and CO2 refrigerants rather than HFCs – a major move that will eliminate the risk of HFC leakage. This also means that HFCs can be eliminated from the air conditioning system as air will be cooled via the CO2 refrigeration plant, a move that will also save energy.

In addition, fridges will be fitted with guards to reduce cool air leakage that will save at least 4% of the energy needed to operate each fridge.

Niall Trafford, Executive of Store Design and Specification at Marks & Spencer, said: “We now have over 250 M&S Simply Food stores across the UK, so trialling ‘eco-solutions’ to meet the challenges that food retailing presents is a major factor that will help us reach Marks & Spencer’s overall goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2012.

“The new Galashiels Simply Food store really is a test bed for developing new initiatives that could easily and realistically be rolled out in our Simply Food stores across the UK and even in some of our bigger food halls. We are very proud of what we have accomplished so far.”

As well as the ‘eco-features’, all suppliers on to the project are working in a ‘greener’, more efficient way. This includes managing waste materials to ensure that they are recycled where possible. It is estimated that up to 80 per cent of waste and key construction off-cuts will be recycled or reused.

Suppliers will use BREEAM* A-rated materials with low or non hazardous content and low energy processing when available, including carpet flooring and tiling. Also, some display equipment will be made from recyclable plastic.

Galashiels is one of three trial ‘eco-stores’ that will open in October 2007. The two other stores are the major redevelopment of an existing M&S store in Bournemouth and a brand-new 70,000 sq ft M&S store at Silverburn Retail Park in Pollok. The stores are part of Plan A, M&S’ £200 million, five year eco-plan announced in January.

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For more information please contact:
Michelle Hay, Brown Beattie Communications 01324 602553

Notes to Editors