Woolworths ups the ante in drive towards a greener future
SINGLE-USE plastic bags are long gone but you can charge your Tesla for free and there is more space than ever to park your bicycle.
Welcome to what Woolworths is billing as its most environmentally-friendly supermarket.
The grocery heavyweight says the new store at Heidelberg, in Melbourne’s north east, uses almost one-third less electricity than a store built just 10 years ago.
Its operations also emit 25 per cent less greenhouse gas than regular stores.
“That is the equivalent of taking 147 cars off the road each year,” store manager Brenton Boadle said.
The savings have been made possible through more efficient refrigeration, air conditioning and lighting systems and practices – key drivers of any power bill at a supermarket. Initiatives include using waste heat from refrigeration units to warm the store.
“These investments not only reduce the store’s environmental footprint, but also help us keep costs low so we can offer the best possible prices,” Mr Boadle said.
The store has used sustainably-sourced timber cladding and also offers 16 electric vehicle charging bays, which customers can use for free. Adding to its green credentials are 33 bicycle parks.
Woolworths format development director Rob McCartney said supermarkets were energy intensive.
“In recent years we’ve been working to operate our stores more sustainably, investing in more efficient refrigeration and lighting systems, and incorporating sustainability into