M&S takes project Plan A to a step further

The 12,400 Sq ft Simply Food store in Sheffield will be not only built with sustainability in mind, but also run in order to minimise its impact on the environment, the building will be constructed on an old brownfield site and will utilise bricks from an old mill, any waste materials that come out of the construction will be recycled.

Some of the features that M&S are including in the construction of the building are

• - Rainwater used in the toilets
• - Sun pipes used in the building and LED lights to reduce energy
• - Excess heat given off by refrigeration systems will be reused, this alone is though tot reduce CO2 emissions by 23%
• - Customers with electric cars will have charging points for use while they shop

There will also be consideration for wildlife, with a ‘living wall' of rainwater that will double to provide shelter for wildlife, a natural pollution filter system and also have over 60 specificly seleted fauna for the surrounding area of the store, in addition there will be multiple bird boxes around the exterior of the store.

M&S are opening 2 such stores that will use be considered ‘learning stores' as the company pushes forwards to using 100% recycled products to build  new stores and in turn earn the accolade of ‘most sustainable retailer in the world' by 2015