A benchmark for retail development, the new store of the brand encompasses an area of 148,000 square feet. Designed by Aukett Fitzroy Robinson, the store is noted for its green credentials and is poised to be accredited with BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.
The store features 70 inch touchscreens, which allow customers to browse and order latest clothing lines and home fashions. The striking design element of the store is its curved wooden roof made of glued laminate and hemp walls.
The new M&S Cheshire Oaks incorporates superior technologies and building materials, which makes it 30-50% more energy and carbon efficient. The store bathes in natural light and features carbon-absorbing hemp panels. The building is partly sunk into the ground with earth mounding around the perimeter, which aids in improving its insulation and keeps the inside temperature stable.
The store features an efficient mechanical and engineering package, which include energy consumption monitoring system, waterless urinals, lighting controls, a biomass boiler, HFC free air handling units, displacement ventilation, electric car charging points and an 80,000 litre rainwater harvesting tank.
Construction of the store was undertaken by Simons Group, while Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) provided sustainable mechanical and electrical package.
