Costa’s Zero-Energy Eco-Pod

UK coffee chain Costa Coffee is trialling a groundbreaking new Eco-Pod coffee shop concept. The site, positioned in a retail park in Telford, England, offers seating for 78 patrons, and aims to push the limits of sustainability.

With a firm focus on low use of energy, the building features solar roof panels as well as passive ventilation for heating and cooling. In terms of construction, a natural timber frame has been used in place of manufactured steel. The site, which will offer Costa's regular selection of food and beverage products, will function as a test bed for future openings.

In line with this thinking, restaurants and food retailers are becoming increasingly environmentally savvy. San-Francisco-based restaurant The Perennial will feature a closed-loop symbiotic system in its greenhouse, where plants and fish will co-exist in a naturally sustainable eco-system.

Supermarket chains are also integrating eco-friendly design into their stores. British supermarket chain Sainsbury's has introduced technology into its Cannock location that allows the store to be entirely powered by food waste, as explored in Rise of the Sustainable Supermarket.

For more on sustainable restaurants, see Sustainable Dining. For more on sustainably produced food, see Future Farming and China's Farm-to-Table Movement. For more on eco-friendly hospitality initiatives, see Sustainable Stays and W Hotel's Recycled Amenities.