Retail store News : Puma Opens First Sustainable Puma Store

PUMA today opened a sustainable PUMA Store in India, the first one worldwide revolutionizing the concept of retail spaces globally. The store – located in the Bangalore suburb Indiranagar – is spread over a total of 800 sq meters, has been locally developed and sourced and incorporates a number of revolutionary and innovative design elements to ensure major energy savings as well as environmentally friendly-sourcing practices. While the lower levels will serve as a retail area, a ‘PUMA Social Club’ cafe and bar will be located on the upper floor and terrace and will be ready to open by the end of 2012.
“In keeping with our mission of becoming the most desirable and sustainable Sportlifestyle company, PUMA is happy to take this pioneering step forward for the retail industry.”, said Franz Koch, CEO of PUMA. “Establishing a sustainable PUMA Store underlines our commitment to reduce CO2 emissions, energy, water and waste in PUMA offices, stores, warehouses and direct supplier factories by 2015.”
“The building is a true design marvel and incorporates a host of innovative sustainability features to make our sustainable PUMA Store a one-of-a-kind retail experience”, said Rajiv Mehta, Managing Director PUMA South Asia. “We are pleased to be a pioneer in sustainability again with setting new standards for an environmentally-friendly and resource-saving store concept in one of India’s best shopping locations.”
Features that meet the highest criteria for sustainability include:

• Recycled steel from old DVD players, bicycles and tiffin boxes has been used to construct the building of the PUMA Store.
• The surface layout of the building has been designed in a way that more than 90% of the interior spaces in this store have direct access to natural daylight so that less artificial light is needed.
• The artificial lighting used in this store is energy efficient with fewer watts being consumed for the same lumen output.
• The recessed first and second floor volume generates a stack-effect for natural cooling.
• The highly insulated building shell allows for cooling without an air conditioning. Soil temperature, at a depth of about 12 feet or more stays fairly constant throughout the year and is approximately equal to the average annual ambient air temperature. The ground will be used as a heat sink for cooling in the summer and as a heat source for heating in the winter. A simple method used in this store is to pass air through the underground air tunnel.
• By maintaining the temperature at a comfortable 24 degrees Celsius, PUMA leaves it warmer than in usual retail stores and thus conserves energy.
• The sustainable PUMA Store is 100% solar-powered as solar photovoltaic cells provide 10,384 kwh units of energy a year.
• The porotherm blocks used to construct the shell of the building have been made using silt from the lakes in Kunigal. These lakes are the only source of water for villages in Kunigal and hence are desilted every year to increase the water table. The silt usually ends up as waste, but has now been used as a valuable resource in the sustainable PUMA Store.
• Under Floor Air Distribution helps to save further energy. Floor Air Distribution works on the principle that air in any particular space needs to be cooled only for the first eight feet from the floor because convection currents cause hot air to rise automatically while cool air remains at the bottom.
• The furniture and fixture in this store were made of recycled wood while low volatile organic compound paint has been used to paint the Store’s walls.
• The Store’s roof garden keeps the building insulated from the direct heat of the sun and the plants keep the temperature lower at all times.
• A special insulation foam has been implemented in the roof which cuts down heat gains by reducing conduction.
• Occupancy sensors provide automatic on/ off control so that lights are used when the room is occupied. When the space is unoccupied, the lights are automatically turned off.

The store will retail a range of products made from organic cotton as well as PUMA’s Wilderness Collection – a collection primarily sourced and produced in Africa using sustainable materials. For the first time in India, the sustainable PUMA Store also introduces PUMA’s global ‘Bring Me Back” Program – an in-store recycling program for footwear, apparel and soft accessories.

The launch event was carbon-neutral with all the energy consumed during the party being produced by customers and invitees through pedal power. This is a novel initiative whereby people pedal on a special bicycle generator that feeds into the main power source. In this way, power can be created and stored in a battery bank thereby eliminating reliance on traditional power sources.

To generate awareness and appreciation for sustainability amongst the citizens of Bangalore, PUMA has embarked upon an ambitious initiative to involve the art and design community. The brand has partnered with Trapeze Design Studio as well as young installation artists from the city to create large-format installations using waste material. These will then be put up in key locations around Bangalore city later this month as a strong message to highlight the glaring need to reuse, reduce and recycle – the cornerstone of waste minimization strategies. The aesthetic and utilitarian installations will be donated to the Bangalore Municipality and remain as permanent artworks to beautify the city-scape.
For more information on PUMA and the brand’s efforts around sustainability, please visit http://about.puma.com/sustainability/

(Source Puma group)