In the town of Creußen in the district of Bayreuth, two retail stores are opening today that redefine the demand for sustainable local supply: A Netto brand discount and a Markgrafen beverage market, both built entirely in timber construction and with well thought-out environmentally positive outdoor facilities.
The project was developed and implemented by RATISBONA Handelsimmobilien. It combines resource-saving construction, energy efficiency and healthy interior quality in an exemplary way.
After only ten months of construction, an ensemble with a Netto market (approx. 1,050 m² sales area) and a Markgrafen market (approx. 800 m² sales area) was created on a site area of around 8,600 square metres. Both buildings were planned according to circular principles and are largely made of wood – from the supporting structure to the visible interior walls. The facades made of silver fir wood from the Bavarian Forest give the location a natural character.
"With this project, we are not only setting a milestone for climate-friendly retail, but are also consciously building on the EDEKA/Netto guideline for circular economy. It states that stores and buildings should be planned in such a way that their building materials can be recycled later – cradle-to-cradle instead of recycling endpoint. We see our innovative stores in Creußen precisely in this tradition, says Sebastian Schels, Managing Partner at RATISBONA Handelsimmobilien.
Photovoltaics, battery storage and heat pumps ensure that the stores generate a high proportion of their own energy needs and save CO₂ in the long term. In addition, the use of wood and cellulose insulation as building materials permanently binds over 330 tonnes of CO₂ – an amount that roughly corresponds to the emissions that would be generated in the production of the structural steel for a medium-sized, four-storey office building.
Healthy construction – focus on material quality and indoor climate
Ratisbona pays special attention to material health. Largely untreated wood surfaces and building materials are used, which are continuously tested for their material properties as part of the RATISBONA quality process – with the aim of minimising pollutants and ensuring healthy, long-lasting interiors.
The design of the outdoor facilities also follows the overall ecological concept at the Creußen site: away from purely functional parking spaces towards climate-resistant, species-friendly green and buffer zones. Habitat zones promote biodiversity, seepage troughs and retention areas ensure clever soil and water management.
A lighthouse project for the retail property of the future
This holistically planned project was implemented in close cooperation with Netto Marken-Discount and Markgrafen Getränke. Both companies see the location as a reference project for sustainable store development.
Martin Dannhäußer, Mayor of the City of Creußen, comments on the opening: "The two new stores show how ecological construction, economic efficiency and municipal location development can be intertwined. The project strengthens local supply in the Creußen region, sets an architectural example and shows that sustainability also arrives in people's everyday lives."
The combination of the renewable building material wood, intelligent energy technology and near-natural site design is exemplary for a new generation of retail properties – buildings that supply, connect and take responsibility.
