Costa Coffee has opened the UK's "first zero energy coffee shop building" in a bid to explore how it can make its outlets more environmentally sustainable.
The test-bed "Eco-Pod" at the Wrekin Retail Park near Telford boasts an array of low carbon and energy efficient technologies that could be incorporated into future stores or retrofitted at current branches should they prove a success.
The new features include a sustainable timber frame, passive ventilation, which minimizes the energy needed to heat and cool the building, and solar panels embedded in the building's curved roof to provide onsite green power.
The technologies ensure the building meets zero energy standards, providing power for espresso machines, panini grills and dishwashers.
The 150 square meter building took just 13 weeks to build and was designed in conjunction with retail property company Hammerson, which will lease it to Whitbread-owned Costa.
The company plans to evaluate the site's performance over the next six to 12 months, but is confident the Eco-Pod can help contribute towards Whitbread's goal of reducing carbon emissions 25 per cent from 2012 to 2017.
Jim Slater, managing director of Costa UK and Ireland, said the "exciting first" could provide a blueprint for low carbon and sustainable design for the company and the industry as a whole.
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