CSR - What is going on at 250-266 Ecclesall Road?

Something has been building at number 250-266 Eccleshall Road in Sheffield which might have significant implications for sustainable retailing in the UK. What is it?

Here is 250-266 Eccleshall Road on Google Earth. Not so easy to spot the project below?

But to get a better view, take a look at this pdf document produced by the CSR team at Marks and Spencer.

The document explains how Marks & Spencer is about open its most sustainable UK store. The Eccleshall Road store will be the first of a number of planned ‘Sustainable Learning’ stores, which will further increase M&S’ understanding of sustainable construction techniques and processes.

The new 12,400 sq ft Simply Food store, due to open in April 2011 and built from scratch on a former brownfield site, incorporates many sustainable and innovative design and construction features. For example:

- 100% of the construction waste produced in the building of the store has been recycled
- All the bricks have been reclaimed from an old mill
- Harvested rainwater will supply all the toilets and irrigate the store’s green ‘living wall’, reducing water costs by up to 40% compared with a conventional similarly sized store
- The store will be heated by expelled heat from its refrigeration units, helping to reduce the its carbon output by 23%
- Highly efficient LED lighting will be used throughout the store, a first in the UK, and sun pipes will bring natural lighting onto the shop floor.
- A sedum roof and green ‘living wall’ will create wildlife habitats as well as insulate the building and act as a pollution filter
- Electric car charging points will be available in the car park
- LED screens in the store will give customers real time local transport information;

The Eccleshall Road store is all part of M&S’ Plan A, with its corporate aim now being to become the “world’s most sustainable retailer”. We’ll be working on exam-style questions on this business (and a few others) at our sell-out BUSS4 revision workshops in late March.