Asda yesterday opened its first ever purpose-built ‘eco depot’ in Didcot, Oxfordshire.
The supermarket chain invested £42m to replace the previous site three miles down the road with 250,000 sq ft space built from eco-friendly timber and reclaimed brick from a brown field site.
It will use an underground recyclable drainage system built to prevent more than 48 tonnes of plastic from being sent to landfill.
The depot was built using sustainable wood instead of steel from certified renewable sources and features movement-detecting lighting systems, energy cladding panels and thermal roof lights, making it more energy efficient than any of ASDA’s existing depots.
Ian Stansfield, head of Asda distribution, said: ‘This move forms part of our commitment to reduce the amount of energy we use. We’re hoping, that if successful, the new environmental technologies used in Didcot can be implemented elsewhere across Asda’s distribution network.’
It will offer the 400 staff gym facilities, and a sports pitch.
Savills acted for Asda.
