£1.8m showroom completed for national retailer

Deeley Construction has delivered a 15,000 sq ft Sofology store in the south of Birmingham city centre.

The developer, headquartered in Coventry has recently secured carbon neutral status, completed the £1.8m project to BREEAM Excellent status, a leading sustainability accreditation.

Responsible sourcing of materials and renewable technologies were used to reduce energy emissions and water-saving devices. Electric vehicle charging points are have also been installed for customer use.

Steve Turner, construction director at Deeley Construction, said: “We carried out this project in a live retail park environment and using our extensive experience in these settings were able to keep disruption to nearby retailers and visiting customers to an absolute minimum.

“As we drive towards our target of achieving net-zero status by 2036 it is crucial we look to reduce the carbon footprint on all of our developments. During the Sofology build, we ensured that sustainable construction was at the heart of the project.”

LondonMetric Property appointed the firm to construct the new store earlier this year, with the aim of expanding and enhancing its retail offering. This is the latest in a line of projects that Deeley Construction has worked with LondonMetric.

LondonMetric worked closely with independent energy consultants from the outset of the project to achieve this.

Tom Pinder, development manager of LondonMetric Property, added: “We have a strong partnership with Deeley Construction having completed a number of new-build and refurbishment projects over the years.

“With our own carbon reduction agenda at the forefront of our operations, we are proud to deliver a scheme with such strong sustainability credentials. At a baseline, the shell build has achieved an ‘A’ EPC rating.”

The project, on John Kempe Way, also renovated the adjacent store at the retail park.

Sofology opened the new showroom on 4th December and has created 12 permanent new jobs in the area.

Shaun Cook, director of retail at Sofology, said: “As our 55th opening, the new Birmingham store is part of our continuing expansion plans across the UK. We are committed to carbon efficiency and it’s great to know the showroom has been completed to BREEAM standards.”