Energy efficiency in UK supermarkets

Summary form only given. Against a background of steadily increasing energy costs and environmental pressures, J. Sainsbury, the leading food retailer in the UK, has systematically reviewed its store design in order to arrive at the concept of the `low energy supermarket´. A comprehensive package of energy efficiency measures has evolved, covering every aspect of building services, now incorporated into approximately 200 of its largest stores. The author describes how improvements to lighting, refrigeration, heating, ventilation and air conditioning have given savings of 40% compared with earlier designs. Techniques such as heat recovery, digital controls and building energy management systems have been adopted in order to optimise the efficiency of all energy consuming services in the store