Coles Hallam becomes Australia’s first Green Star Rated Supermarket:

Coles has achieved the first Green Star rating for a supermarket, awarded by The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). Coles in Hallam (situated in outer-south-east Melbourne) achieved the 4 Star Green Star rating. Designed by Michael Carr Architect, key achievements at the Hallam store include:

  • 50% more fresh air compared to minimum standards through high-performance heating, ventilation, and air conditioning 
  • 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions with highly-efficient chillers and heat reclaimed from refrigeration cases used to supply heating in other parts of the supermarket 
  • LED lighting to reduce energy consumption and internal heating loads 
  • 70% reduction in water consumption compared to traditional supermarkets with water-efficient fixtures and fittings, and 150,000-litre capacity water tanks 

Coles Hallam is also the first supermarket to undergo a, “Life Cycle Assessment, allowing Coles to make comparisons between different materials and products to select healthy, efficient and sustainable options.”

The GBCA’s Chief Executive Officer, Romilly Madew, said, “Coles, in their determination to develop a supermarket of the future, has set a new benchmark for sustainable supermarket design in Australia. Coles now has a framework for sustainable supermarkets that are not only more efficient and cost effective to run, but are also more comfortable places in which to work and shop.”

Madew added that the GBCA has compelling international researching confirming that, “…green retail buildings featuring good natural light and ventilation, high-performance heating and cooling systems, and materials low in harmful chemicals, are not only more efficient and cheaper to operate, but can also improve the experience for customers and return on investment for owners.”