Marks & Spencer’s Silverburn store in Glasgow, which opened its doors in October 2007 as M&S’ first brand-new ‘green’ store, has achieved the highest BREEAM Retail Fit Out rating to date in the UK.
BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) is the world’s longest standing and most widely used environmental assessment method for building, setting the standard for best practice in sustainable development.
The ‘green-store’ was designed by 3D Reid Architects with engineering consultant Faber Maunsell | AECOM providing engineering services and specialist design services.
A number of innovative eco features were installed to the 70,000 sq ft store during construction, under M&S’ Plan A initiative. These include lobby areas to minimise heat and energy loss, as well as more efficient lighting, heating and ventilation systems.
The store uses approximately 40% less water than a comparable M&S store through the installation of low volume dual flush customer toilets and self-closing taps. The leakage of harmful HFCs (Hydro Fluoro Carbons) has also been eliminated by using state of the art fridges that operate on hydrocarbon and CO2 refrigerants.
Both M&S Silverburn and M&S Simply Food Galashiels, which also launched as a new-build ‘green’ store in October 2007, have been awarded a BREEAM Excellent rating and are the first retail developments in the UK to achieve the Excellent rating against the BREEAM Retail 2006 full fit out assessment criteria. Marks & Spencer Bournemouth, M&S’ first ‘eco-conversion’ was also awarded a BREEAM Very Good rating. The store is housed in a 1940s building making an award at this level a significant achievement.
Crispin Burridge, Head of Plan A and Sustainable Construction at M&S said: “Under Plan A we are pushing to address some of the toughest ‘eco’ challenges facing retailers and are delighted that these stores have received these ratings in recognition of some of that work. Customers and staff have reacted very positively to our ‘green’ stores and we continue to use the lessons learned from these stores in our wider store construction programme. It is also important to remember that new builds reflect only a small percentage of building stock and the issue of addressing older buildings represents a significant challenge to the industry too.”
Martin Townsend, BREEAM Director, congratulated Marks & Spencer: “It is not solely new buildings which can and need to reach high sustainability standards, but it is paramount that we also look at and address current building stock. M&S Silverburn and M&S Simply Food Galashiels have both achieved commendable BREEAM Scores at the highest rating of Excellent for BREEAM Retail fit out. I hope many more follow the example set by M&S.”
