The Challenge

How do you create a sustainable grocery store in a densely populated urban area? Lidl has found the answer with its metropolitan store. It combines all the advantages of a stand-alone store with the type of space-saving design that is essential in big cities.

In addition to saving space and being customer- and employee-friendly, sustainability was also a priority when developing the concept.

The Solution

The modern building, which features glass panels and green spaces, fits into the surrounding area perfectly. The roof has been grassed over and equipped with a photovoltaic system, and the glass facade is fitted with dynamic solar protection glass by SageGlass.

Thanks to its tinting electrochromic coating, this smart glass is able to control the heat influx from sunlight, all while offering an unobstructed view of the outdoors.

Even in bright conditions, the glass blocks heat before it enters the store. The need for external shades was thus completely eliminated.

The Benefits

The metropolitan store boasts a 1 800 m2 brightly-lit sales area on the first floor, and the small footprint of the building offers customers a state-of-the-art shopping experience.

The transition between the different tint levels of the smart glass is smooth and completely silent, preventing any disruption of operations in the store.

Alexander Thurn, Property Director at Lidl Germany, is impressed by the SageGlass technology: “We want to keep improving our stores and rely on innovative technology to do this. Thanks to SageGlass, our employees are able to work efficiently and at an optimal level, without being blinded by the sun. The store is also always kept at the perfect temperature: it’s never too hot or too cold.”

Among other things, the use of SageGlass ensures that the building meets the highest possible sustainability requirements, and it has been awarded gold certification by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB).

SageGlass has now been installed in more than 100 Lidl stores across Germany. The first store was opened in Dinslaken in 2018.