The REWE supermarket chain is putting the concept of sustainability to practical business use with its ”Green Building”. It can be operated without producing any CO2 and even includes a solar glass architectural solution.
After the new REWE market in Berlin opened in November 2009, it shortly imposes new standards in sustainable constructions. The building didn’t produce CO2 and is equipped with many sustainable facilities to support this. The supermarket has already received numerous awards for his new “futuristic concept”. For the REWE Group is sustainability not a trend, it’s an attitude. In Germany it’s considered as a pioneer in the area of green power and has been offering fair trade food products for more than 15 and bio products for over 20 years.
It consumes nearly 50 percent less energy than a conventional market. Furthermore the “Green Building” produces 40 percent of its exhausted energy by itself. Therefore a 2,000 square metres photovoltaic system is located in the awning with 99 laminated safety glass elements in an overhead version. 8,712 efficient polycrystalline 6-inch cells from SCHOTT Solar were laminated into the modules that are each capable of delivering 311 watt peak (Wp). With a total output of 30.79 kilowatt peak, approx. 27,000 kilowatt hours of electricity can now be produced locally. Transparency of 23 percent was selected in order to allow for a certain amount of daylight to enter into the market.
For more electricity savings SCHOTT Termofrost® doors for the freezers are installed. These special glasses inhibit the doors to fogged, whereas heated doors lots of electricity need. To allow a certain amount of daylight enter into the market, transparency of 23 percent was selected. As well to support the brightness of daylight in the market a 280 metres stretch of glass and 18 domes on the roof, are integrated in the architecture. Also other sustainable materials like wood were used. A geothermal system ensures that no fossil fuels will ever be needed at any time. Another important point is the use of rainwater instead of precious drinking water to clean the floors, flush the toilets and irrigate the garden. And if maybe someone drive shopping to the new sustainable supermarket in an electric car, these person will find a station to tank it up with ”green” electricity.
