saving energy

[mrsbrown]

When we design retail spaces we typically expect that the store will have a 20% occupancy, but that the lighting energy to the store will be designed to operate at 100% during opening hours.  Wouldn't it be good if we could better match the number of people in a supermarket to the energy being provided to keep the store open?

I imagine that going to the supermarket could be a bit like riding in the Ghost Train at Luna Park.  As you enter each section, it could light up. And you would have to wait until there are enough people to justify you starting the journey. 

Although maybe the realistic version of that is using smaller stores for each of the supermarket sections - butcher, dry goods, fruiterer, deli etc.  I wonder what's more energy efficient? The wholly lit supermarket behemoth, or multiple small stores that cover all of the stuff you buy at the supermarket?

Comments

[hnpcc]

I wonder if the way that supermarkets are lit could be changed too. When they have the quieter, less bright periods aimed at people with sensory issues (or, you know, the parents of people with sensory issues!) I find that it's still bright enough for me to see easily - I do wonder how people with vision issues find it though. Maybe shelving specific additional lighting?

I do try and buy as much as possible from the local shops (I'm lucky in that we have a butcher, a fruit shop and two bakers, although at the moment because of the Christmas/New Year/January period we actually only have a fruit shop and a baker) but I still find myself in the local supermarkets a lot. I'd say it's probably as energy efficient for me in that I tend to either walk to the local shops (small shop - up to three bags) or drive to the supermarket car park (large shop) and then walk to and from the local shops from there (they're all within about 500m of each other.) Just from an airconditioning point of view I wonder about whether cooling/heating multiple smaller spaces is more efficient than the much larger open space of a supermarket, particularly a chain one.

Side note 1: I really want someone to develop solar panel shelters in supermarket car parks, particularly in places like Mildura where parking in the shade is both essential and very desirable, and where solar energy should be able to be used more often. But also at places like the top levels at Southland.

Side note 2: The lights aren't actually an issue for my child, it's the damn music that he can't turn off. In that our local supermarket is actually better because it's quieter all the time. Also they don't have self-checkouts so it's easier to manage with a child who is often distracted and wants to dash off to somewhere, and they like Michael. Also they find it funny that I will buy 250g of twiggy sticks and ask for one to be taken out so he can munch it on our way around.

Side note 3: our newsagent closed last week. I am very sad about this, while simultaneously completely understanding why.