The recently completed Richmond Countdown supermarket is set to be the first of its type in New Zealand to be accredited by the internationally recognised Green Star rating system. Youngman Richardson were an important part of the construction process along with concrete contracting company Concrete Sealing & Grinding NZ.
The 3,450 square metre 4-star rated Richmond store has solar panels on its roof, LED lighting, EV charging points for its customer’s cars, digital shelf labels to reduce paper use, an electric truck for online orders, water saving taps and doors on fridges and freezers through the store.
Working towards the Green Star accreditation had not just been about new features, the construction process was equally important. Involved from early specification stages to ensure the concrete floor surface preparation result also aligned with the accreditation, Youngman Richardson’s Husqvarna construction product manager Scott McBreen says, “It’s also about the use of more sustainable products used in the construction process. This is a real chance for us to provide a more environmentally friendly blueprint for the future.”
McBreen’s 20-plus years’ experience with polished concrete floors has proven invaluable as he has developed a detailed concrete surface preparation specification through Masterspec, a leading specifications system for residential and commercial buildings.
The specification for (6141HG) polished concrete enables tender pricing from construction companies looking to tender on these types of projects. It is backed up with a local Husqvarna HiperFloor Certified Contractors list to assist with project execution.
“Any selected Husqvarna HiperFloor Certified Contractor is supported through the project process with quality assurance checks during the application and before completion. We regularly undertake site visits where required with regular visits having been made to the Countdown Richmond site to provide technical advice and support,” says McBreen.
The project with Countdown is unique in that the Husqvarna Greenseal product used during the process is the only certified Green Star rated concrete floor sealer on the market at present.