A company at the leading edge in the refrigeration, building and energy management controls sectors is working with Waitrose as it bids to lead the UK supermarket industry towards a greener future. Waitrose is committed to minimising its carbon footprint whilst it rapidly grows its business. Last year, Waitrose developed, and installed for the first time, a new hydrocarbon based refrigeration system which is seen as a huge breakthrough for the industry as it is free of hydrofluorocarbons which are a source of carbon emissions.
Helping Waitrose towards these goals is Farnborough-based Next Control Systems, which for 16 years has provided round-the-clock remote monitoring services to monitor the refrigerated cabinets and storage areas in the company’s 220 plus shops.
Next also provides building and energy management services, managing and controlling both heating and lighting to affect further savings.
It also works with Waitrose to extract maximum value from its gas and electricity supplies by programming controls to vary heating and lighting levels according to time of day and the specific requirements of each shop.
Savings of up to 14 per cent on power sources have been delivered, and the average pay-back time for an installation is between eight and nine months.
Over recent years these systems have been upgraded to full IP networked and wireless systems, making them cleaner, speedier, simpler and cheaper to install as no serious building work is required.
Next Controls is both controlling and remotely monitoring this new refrigeration system, which involves chilled water being moved round the cabinets to remove the excess heat generated by the refrigeration.
“This hfc-free scheme is a very exciting development by Waitrose,” said Next Managing Director Tim Bartholomew. “It really is state of the art and has caused an enormous stir in the supermarket sector.”
As part of its campaign to achieve a greener future, Waitrose is committed to reducing leaks of refrigerant by half over the next three years.
“The new style of installation is more efficient. Installations are carried out overnight and commissioned the following morning so it takes a trained eye to notice that anything is happening,” said Mr. Bartholomew.
Next Control Systems
Tim Bartholomew
Tel: 01252 406398
www.nextcontrols.com
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