Honda opens first of next generation dealerships

Inchcape Honda has opened a new energy efficient showroom site in Romford, Essex. By recycling rainwater, using ground source heating pumps and solar power to heat water, the dealership uses around 30 per cent less energy than a standard car showroom.

The dealership, which officially opened this week, also displays Honda’s new corporate identity for its European network. Featuring a new approach to interior design, improved signage and a distinctive exterior appearance, the dealership provides a unique experience for customers.

"We aimed to create a clean, uncluttered showroom to ensure the car is always the star," says Phil Crossman, Head of Network Development at Honda (UK). "We want buying a car to be an enjoyable experience. There are only 12 cars on display in the showroom, and with the extra space, the atmosphere is more relaxed for customers."

Typically, showrooms of the size of Inchcape Romford, with similar large glazed areas, would be air conditioned, using a high energy central unit to cool and circulate air. However, the Inchcape site uses low level ventilation louvres around the edge of the showroom and high level, chimney-style ventilation terminals mounted on the roof of the building.

Wind pressure then draws air through the showroom, up through the roof terminals using a ‘stack effect’, creating comfortable working conditions without the carbon emissions that would normally be associated with air conditioning. The system has been designed so that it is fully automated, with the vents opening slightly during the evenings of the warmer summer months to pre cool the building, and opening and closing depending on both the internal and external temperature and air quality.

Heating is provided to the showroom from energy in the ground using nine, 75-metre-deep bore holes located beneath the car park. The heat energy is converted to 40 degrees, ideally suited to the under-floor heating system which is laid beneath the entire showroom, corridors and toilet areas of the ground floor. The system can also be used to cool the floor slightly in the warmer summer months, assisting the natural ventilation.

The Romford site also harvests rainwater in a tank buried to the rear of the showroom, which pumps water from the roof of the building for its ‘grey’ water supplies. After UV filtration treatment this water is also clean enough to be used for washing cars.

Elsewhere, solar power is used to heat water using evacuated tube panels on the main roof and circulating heat into a secondary coil of the main hot water cylinder.

These environmentally-friendly developments combine to create one of the greenest car dealerships around – the perfect setting for launching cleaner Hondas, like the more affordable family hybrid car, due to go on sale in the Spring.