Tesco plans to open its first Irish eco-store in October as part of a €30m investment to reduce the environmental impact of its operations in the Irish Republic.

The 30,000 sq ft store, located on the edge of town in Tramore, County Waterford, and costing €12.5m - some €2.5m more than a conventional supermarket - has already been granted planning permission. According to Tesco, it will use 45% less energy and save 420 tonnes in carbon emissions.

A spokesman said that while the design and technology would be similar to that of the company's eco-stores in the UK, "we have learnt lessons from them that we will implement here". There would also be "enhanced insulation", he said. Announcing the plans at an Irish Management Institute conference last week, Tesco Ireland chief executive Tony Keohane said timber columns would be used in its construction in preference to steel, and solar panels to generate power.

New technology would be employed to create self-sufficiency in heating and there would also be more efficient baking ovens, air retrieval and recycling measures. "We have developed a more sustainable blueprint for our new buildings.," he said. "This is about transforming our business model so that the reduction of our carbon footprint becomes a central driver of our business and not some PR add-on."

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