The Midcounties Co-operative is moving to centrally control refrigeration and heating and cooling systems at its 230 stores in a bid to further drive down its energy consumption.
The co-operative has partnered with software provider LoweConex on the project, which it expects to reduce its carbon footprint “to the lowest level possible” and help it towards its aim of reducing direct emissions by 50% by January 2026.
“The Midcounties Co-operative is committed to using the power of co-operation to build a fairer, more ethical and sustainable future,” said Julie Sheldon, Midcounties’ head of energy efficiency. “This partnership is a key part of this, helping us to make continuing progress in reducing our carbon emissions and energy usage, and ensuring our stores operate as efficiently and responsibly as possible.”
The centralised control means “users can adjust settings, perform diagnostics, and even initiate repairs from a remote location” LoweConex says, and receive notifications “when the system detects an issue, such as a temperature deviation or a potential component failure”.
One of the largest independent UK co-operatives, Midcounties in April announced it had reduced energy usage across its businesses by 11% in a single year. Over the previous 12 months, by saving on 5.2 million kilowatts of electricity, the co-op saved £1.65m in electricity charges, it said.
The reduction was driven by an investment of £8.6m towards energy efficiency projects over the past two years, including replacing refrigeration units in 50 stores, rolling out LED lighting in 139 and “helping colleagues to adopt more sustainable behaviours at work”. The retailer said it remained “committed to making further progress” ringfencing a further £800,000 for energy efficiency projects over the next 12 months.
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