The 2nd largest Swiss retail group Coop has opened a new supermarket using the natural refrigerant CO2 for medium- and low-temperature applications.
The refrigeration systems in the “Coop Megastore”, inaugurated on 25 June in the Swiss town of St. Gallen, use CO2 (R744) as a refrigerant, according to a local news service. Besides reducing direct emissions, the installations for medium and low temperatures meet latest energy efficiency standards, as the refrigeration system’s rejected heat is taken to generate hot water and provide heating to the customer area of the 5000 m2 megastore.
The new R744 installations were built following the guidelines of the Swiss “Minergie” standard. This voluntary quality label for new and existing buildings is acknowledged by the industry, all Swiss regions and the federal government. It evaluates comfort levels for occupants of buildings and the construction quality. More importantly, Minergie installations must prove a rational use of energy while enhancing living standards and reducing environmental burdens.
The CO2 installation in St. Gallen is not the first system in a Coop store to be operated with the natural refrigerant. Over the past years, the Swiss retail group has installed several R744 systems working reliably at different temperatures. CO2 systems used so far have proved a lower energy consumption at similar installation costs compared to conventional R404a systems. The latest system is yet another step to come close to Coop’s commitment to be carbon neutral within the next 15 years. Energy-saving refrigeration equipment and the increased use of heat pumps are key tools to achieve significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
About Coop
The 2nd largest retailer in Switzerland employs more than 48,000 staff in 1,700 stores across Switzerland. The group, comprising of production and delivery subsidiaries, generates an annual turnover of 16.7 billion Swiss francs (€10.3 billion)
The new R744 installations were built following the guidelines of the Swiss “Minergie” standard. This voluntary quality label for new and existing buildings is acknowledged by the industry, all Swiss regions and the federal government. It evaluates comfort levels for occupants of buildings and the construction quality. More importantly, Minergie installations must prove a rational use of energy while enhancing living standards and reducing environmental burdens.
The CO2 installation in St. Gallen is not the first system in a Coop store to be operated with the natural refrigerant. Over the past years, the Swiss retail group has installed several R744 systems working reliably at different temperatures. CO2 systems used so far have proved a lower energy consumption at similar installation costs compared to conventional R404a systems. The latest system is yet another step to come close to Coop’s commitment to be carbon neutral within the next 15 years. Energy-saving refrigeration equipment and the increased use of heat pumps are key tools to achieve significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
About Coop
The 2nd largest retailer in Switzerland employs more than 48,000 staff in 1,700 stores across Switzerland. The group, comprising of production and delivery subsidiaries, generates an annual turnover of 16.7 billion Swiss francs (€10.3 billion)
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By R744.com team (@r744)
Jul 03, 2008, 17:36
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