Recently awarded the Carbon Trust Standard as the UK’s greenest supermarket, Tesco this week opened its latest energy-efficient glulam-framed eco-store in Dumfries.
The new 40,000ft² building is claimed to have a carbon footprint 45% smaller than a normal supermarket.
The main contractor on the project was Barr Construction, which also built Tesco’s eco-store in Wick and is now working on another in Annan, which has recently received planning permission.
The bulk store at Dumfries is steel-framed because of the loadings required, but the main shop building comprises a steel-braced prefabricated glulam frame.
“We had this prefabricated by Derix in Germany and shipped over to Dumfries,” said Barr’s Andy Ferguson. “It was all pre-cut and pre-drilled and ready to erect just like a steel frame.”
Work started on the shell of the building in late February. “Start to finish we’re talking four to five months, which is quick work,” said Mr Ferguson.
The building also uses prefabricated timber wall cassettes and is clad in unfinished Siberian larch which will be left to silver naturally.
Other environmental performance-boosting features include extensive use of rooflights to maximise natural daylight in the store, energy-efficient lightbulbs, wind turbines and a combined heat and power plant fired with bio-oil.
Tesco opened its last eco-store in Cheetham Hill, Manchester in January. This also featured a glulam frame.
