IN-SHOP: Eco-Innovation of New Buildings
Who: COOP
Country: Sweden
Objective: To improve energy efficiency in retailer buildings
Description of initiative: Coop via its branch organisation KF Fastigheter develops new E-efficient shops, e.g. Swedish most energy efficient shop in Coop Extra in Västerås that is self-sufficient in heating.
The cooling and refrigerating equipment uses electricity (Coop buys mainly electricity from Vattenfall's Swedish electricity mix, which is 51.5% nuclear, 48.4% hydro and other renewable electricity and 0.1% fossils and peat-based electricity). The new approach is to reuse the waste heat that the refrigeration equipment and lighting generate. Typically, the waste heat is vented out through ventilators on the roof.
By taking advantage of this energy, the temperature of radiators and other heating equipment in the store could be reduced significantly, from the normal 60°C to about 32°C. The store recycles the heat in the exhaust ventilation with FTX-systems instead of more energy-consuming pumps. The indoor climate is also regulated by a flexible and intelligent heating system. The building also has demand-controlled ventilation, which controls air flow including the indoor air concentration of CO2.
In addition, employees have been educated to manage freezers, freeze rooms and heaters so as to save energy. Online training is open to anyone in connection to the Energijakten (The Energy Chase project).
Effect of initiative: The store is completely self-sufficient in heating of the sales floor. The shop only uses 40% of energy required by the construction code of the Authority for city planning, construction and housing. The building is using 46 kWh/m2/year and only half the energy required for the EU’s Green Building Certificate. This also means savings of 150 000 SEK per year. CO2 emissions are reduced by 41 tons a year.
Time period: 2008 Future work: Coop group is working on reducing energy use by 30% by 2020 compared to year 2008. In 2009, a new property company was formed to offer carbon neutral commercial properties, Handelsbodarna i Sverige Fastighets AB.
More information:
Contact: Niclas Köhler -
Link: (in Swedish)KF Fastigheter, Sveriges energisnålaste butik
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency Strandgade 29 DK-1401 Copenhagen K Phone: +45 7254 4000
Copenhagen Resource Institute Højbro Plads 4, Mezzaninen DK-1200 Copenhagen K Phone: +45 7254 6160
The Nordic Council of Ministers Ved Stranden 18 DK-1061 Copenhagen K Phone: +45 3396 0200
Key trends in environmental impacts from consumption in Nordic countries reveal that more action is needed.
The role of retailers in the transition towards Sustainable Consumption and Production (PDF, 424KB)
Potential policies to promote SCP via the food retail sector in Nordic Countries (PDF, 400KB)
Read more about the project (PDF, 108KB)