Lidl opens most sustainable supermarket in Holland

Lidl opens a new, very spacious 5-star BREEAM certified store on Wednesday 10 February 2021. This new store is the first supermarket in the Netherlands with the 'outstanding' certificate and therefore the most sustainable supermarket in the Netherlands. In addition to the certification, Lidl in Eersel is taking an extra step to reduce the environmental impact of the parking lot by looking for nature-inclusive solutions.

Innovative and environmentally friendly design

During the construction of this store, a large number of sustainable measures were incorporated into the design. The most innovative element is the climate installation. The heat pump ensures that no gas is needed for the store. Energy is supplied to the store by means of 432 solar panels on the roof. Water-saving measures have also been taken; the toilets, urinals and taps provide significant savings on water consumption.

Unique collaboration with ecologist

Unique to this branch is that during the demolition, design and construction process Lidl involved an ecologist. The ecologist has helped to think about how the impact on flora and fauna can be limited during the entire project and how the ecological value can be increased during the use of the store. In order to reduce the environmental impact of the parking lot and thus improve the biodiversity around the site, nature-inclusive solutions were explored. For example, the parking lot has, among other things:

• A bee hotel and flower beds because bees and flowers are indispensable for food production, among other things. For example, 80% of all fruit and vegetables depend on bees.
• An infiltration strip to slowly release rainwater into the soil via lava stones. This relieves the sewer system and provides trees and plants with sufficient water.
• Shrubs to provide food, shelter and nesting opportunities for birds and mammals.
• Hanging bird nesting boxes in several locations.
• Several hedgehog boxes creating quiet and frost-free places for hedgehogs.

Martin van den Hoorn Ecologist of the Eonw, involved in this project: "Nature-inclusive measures should be part of every development and let's face it: without plants and animals a village or city is just boring. With these environmentally friendly solutions Lidl shows that doing something for nature doesn't have to be difficult."

Highest possible BREEAM certificate

Sustainability is in Lidl's DNA. For this construction the ambition has been set to achieve the maximum BREEAM 5-star certificate, the highest certification for sustainable building and a unique one when it comes to a supermarket branch. It is remarkable that this score can be achieved without making major changes to Lidl's blueprint for the architectural and technical design of new branches. For example, there are a number of standard elements that Lidl always adds like a heat pump, charging stations for electric transport, energy and water meters for monitoring consumption, PV panels and natural refrigerants. "This project shows once again that Lidl Netherlands is very far along in terms of sustainability. Without making any major adjustments to the design and construction process, we were able to provide the branch in Eersel with the highest achievable certificate, namely BREEAM OUTSTANDING! This makes it the most sustainable supermarket in the Netherlands" Jan Roersen, BREEAM expert at W4Y adviseurs.

lidl.nl