London UK

Architect: varies
Completed: varies

The retail sector is one of the construction sectors that has the highest turnover of internal fitouts. Retail displays are changed as frequently as every few years and retail refurbishments can potentially result in high levels of waste production, of which most is likely to be sent to landfill.

The high frequency of refurbishments is only one of the retail sectors typical requirements. Retail outlets also reconfigure their shop layouts several times in the time period between refurbishments to accommodate changes in stock and in particular this reconfiguration work has to take place quickly and with the least disruption to the retail activities that will generally continue while this minor work takes place. To address this need a number of retail display systems have be developed, which make the installation of a fitout and its reconfiguration or disassembly easy and quick to undertake.
These display systems often allow the shell of the building untouched. They often consist of a frame and panel system, whereby the panel can support the display elements as well as simply act as an aesthetic lining sheet. The panels cover the walls of the shell, thus reducing the need to decorate the actually structure of the building. These systems can be used in an range of different retail outlets ranging from the low cost to the sophisticated outlet, by varying the layout and the choice of finishes.
These systems could be reused until they become damaged and in many cases the retail merchandise covers most of the display panel making minor blemishes irrelevant. Once disassembled the system can be stored 'flat packed' and requires relatively little storage space. The inherent dismantleability of the systems, couples with the speed of erection and the ability to store in a compact manner contributes to giving a long life to the system.
Certain retail outlets have developed their own display system, which they adapt for different uses. The same basic system can be transformed in terms of finish and display elements to accommodate different merchandise. The system is designed to be used for a decade or more and it can be envisaged that it would be maintained, repairing and replacing elements as required.
The one area of improvement that could be developed further is the constitution of the panel elements. Currently many panels are made of composite materials, for example melamine on chipboard. This makes the recycling of the panels impossible. A change of material to, for example solid timber, MDF painted, metal or other solid non-composite material would reduce the waste produced which can only go to landfill.

OTHER SUSTAINABLE DESIGN FEATURES

Health
The use of dismantleable retail display and fitout systems has a positive impact on the health and safety of building operatives using these systems. The use of dry construction reduces the risk of air pollutants from applied surface treatments. For the installers this helps create a better and healthier working environment. Similarly only a limited amount of cutting material on site is required as most building elements are standard sizes and mainly minor adjustments are generally needed. This reduces the risk of injury through the use of mechanical equipment.