On Wednesday 4 December 2024, the Colruyt Lowest Prices store in Temse will reopen. The Vrijheidstraat site has undergone a complete transformation and is a model of sustainable construction. The store was totally demolished and rebuilt according to the principle of ‘urban mining’: Colruyt prioritised high-quality recycling wherever possible to reuse the demolition material in a brand-new and sustainable building. Colruyt Temse is also the first store with CO2-negative façade material.
Extra focus on sustainability
Colruyt Group intends to place increasing emphasis on circular construction, in which the recovery of materials is standard practice. A new approach was therefore taken to the demolition work at Colruyt Temse.
Hilde Carens, Sustainable Building Materials project leader at Colruyt Group, explains: “For four years now, we’ve been working with VITO and Orbix to create carbonation concrete blocks from our demolished concrete. Carbonation concrete absorbs CO2 when it is produced instead of emitting it, making it a CO2-negative product. We brought in the concrete from our Colruyt store in Deinze, which was demolished last year, and used the blocks extensively here in Temse. We saved 60 tonnes of CO2 by doing so.”
The same process was also applied to the façade material in Temse. This is no longer brick, but carbonated blocks made of 80% recycled raw materials. Again, they are CO2-negative.
“We’ve also worked together to use recycling of cellular concrete, also known as Ytong, for the first time in Belgium. Old cellular concrete is normally used to make an insulating screed or cat litter. We made fresh building blocks from the cellular concrete at Colruyt Deinze, which we then used in Temse. In this way, we’re gradually but actively moving to the point where we see our buildings as a library of valuable materials instead of waste,” explains Hilde Carens.
Colruyt Group has also consistently maintained the same sustainable vision inside the store.
The product chilling system uses propane, reducing the carbon footprint for energy by more than 90%. The residual heat from this system is used to heat the building, which means that a gas connection is no longer necessary. Solar panels have been installed and green energy is used for energy-efficient LED lights with sensors and the six charging stations in the car park. Rainwater is collected and partly reused in the toilets.
More store space and more parking space
With a total of 1,800 m2, Colruyt customers in Temse now have 25% more store space. That means a lot more products at the lowest prices. Store manager Wim Verstreken: “There will be more than 500 new items across all ranges. There’s also a brand-new bread cabinet, and the optimised shopping route will make purchasing your products at Colruyt Temse even more pleasant and efficient.”
The charcuterie from the fresh products area has been put with the meat in the butcher’s department, so that customers can now find all meat preparations in one place. “There’s an extensive choice of fresh meat and a renewed delicatessen range. The open workshop means that you can see our butchers at work and can easily talk to them if you have questions or special orders,” Wim Verstreken explains.
Because the store is built on pillars, customers can now use a covered car park. There are 129 parking spaces in total, 76 of which are covered. Cyclists can also keep their bikes (including cargo bikes) safe and dry in the underground car park. In addition, there are one fast charger and two regular chargers in the car park – enough for six electric cars.
Brand-new Collect&Go pick-up point
Store manager Wim Verstreken: “We’re also delighted to be able to offer our customers the Collect&Go service again at a new pick-up point in the covered car park.” Collect&Go is Colruyt Group’s handy online shopping service. Customers send in their shopping list via collectandgo.be, the Xtra app or the Collect&Go app. Personnel members then ensure that the products are ready at the collection point at a time of the customer’s choosing.
Open evening on Tuesday 3 December
Store manager Wim Verstreken: “Together with the entire team of 53 personnel members, we’re looking forward to welcoming our customers again. And we’d like to invite them to be the first to discover the renovated store during our open evening on Tuesday 3 December from 17.00 to 20.00. See you then!”
Download the photos
For more information, please contact:
Eric Boeykens (regional manager) on 02 345 23 45
Eva Biltereyst (Colruyt Lowest Prices press officer) on 0479 72 29 10
Practical information:
Colruyt Temse
Vrijheidstraat 19
9140 Temse
Opening hours:
Mon - Sat: 8.30 - 20.00
Fri: 8.30 - 21.00
