B&Q Eco-Store
Commercial case study, Colorcoat Renew SC®, Colorcoat Prisma®, Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra®
Client: Hammerson plc
Main Contractor: BAM Construct UK
Architect: Powell Dobson Architects
Roofing and Cladding Contractor: ABS Elbrow
System Manufacturer: Euroclad Group
Tata Steel products: Colorcoat Renew SC® active solar air heating system manufactured from Colorcoat Prisma® pre-finished steel in Black. Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® pre-finished steel roof in Goosewing Grey 2,155m2; Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® pre-finished steelwalls in Merlin Grey 1,920m2
Year: 2014
Tata Steel has supplied an innovative steel cladding system, incorporating a solar collector manufactured from Colorcoat Prisma® pre-finished steel which provides a combination of excellent durability and superior solar-thermal absorption capability. The micro-perforated, pre-finished steel solar collector was installed as an additional external skin to the roof and absorbs solar radiation, harnessesing the sun’s energy, to provide the DIY giant B&Q’s 5110 m2 ‘Eco-Store’ with significantly superior environmental performance compared to the standard specification for other stores.
The challenge
The key challenges for B&Q/Kingfisher stemmed from their extensive and varied portfolio of buildings, the nature of their core DIY retail business and their desire to show clear leadership and vision within their own sphere of influence over procurement and in house facilities management. The ‘Eco-Store’ concept is B&Q’s initiative to lead the retail industry into ‘green retail’, which includes zero CO2 emissions, energy-efficiency, minimum and responsible use of resources, so any products used in the build needed to reflect this.
Located close to the Brecon Beacons National Park, and Cyfarthfa Castle (home to one of the most innovative iron-masters of the late 18th / early-19th Century), the new store needed to be sensitive to its surroundings. For this reason the local planning authority required a design which minimised visual impact and complemented the local environment.
The solution
The Merthyr Tydfil Eco-Store features a roof-mounted ‘solar collector’, and this was a vital part of the solution. The Colorcoat Renew SC® active solar air heating system is constructed using Colorcoat Prisma® pre-finished steel. The transpired solar collector system generates, conducts and channels renewable solar energy preheated ventilation air that is delivered directly into the building. In a facility of this size the system can reduce consumption of energy for heating by as much as 40% and carbon dioxide emissions by 7.2 tonnes per year.
Colorcoat Prisma® pre-finished steel was specified by the architect Powell Dobson, in order to minimise replacements over the life of the building, as their Environmental Material Selection Criteria prioritises durability and longevity alongside other client criteria.
The use of Colorcoat Prisma® pre-finished steel for the solar collector provided the required combination of excellent durability and superior solar-thermal absorption capability. The system was more than capable of achieving the architects requirements. Colorcoat Prisma® provides superior solar absorption characteristics, durability and corrosion resistance, providing maximum collector efficiency and longevity to provide a truly sustainable solution.
Rainspan by Euroclad Group was used on the walls of the new store. Rainspan provides the perfect structural support for rainscreen systems, combining ease and speed of installation to create a weathertight building envelope early on in the build programme.
On the internal fit out, Firemaster by Euroclad Group – an insultated ineternal wall and ceiling solution was utilised that comes with a stone wool core that provides “built in” passive fire protection.
In addition to this the building utilised a Secret Fix SF500 roof from Euroclad Group, which is a proven system that offers fast, simple installation with excellent performance and design flexibility. There is no need for external penetrations of the outer sheet and no need for end laps or sealant, resulting in excellent durability and a clean, uncluttered finish. SF500 was supplied as part of an Elite System 3, which is certified to BES 6001 Responsible Sourcing standard and comes with a 25 year system guarantee.
Russell Beresford, Development Manager at Hammerson plc, said: “The B&Q Eco-Store sets the standard for sustainable retail parks. It demonstrates what can be achieved by landlord, tenants and business partners working closely together. A set of best-practice sustainability targets were agreed between Hammerson and B&Q which exceeded the requirements of the local planning authority. These targets addressed energy and carbon intensity, embodied carbon, recycled content and recyclability, responsible sourcing, waste management, water consumption, bio-diversity and adaption to climate change.”