In the retail sector, the debate on sustainability usually revolves around packaging. Yet the construction of one supermarket alone consumes an enormous amount of raw materials. After demolition, the vast majority of these materials are disposed of as waste. That is why the Regensburg-based firm RATISBONA Handelsimmobilien is committed to circular construction methods: in the 5,600-person village of Haimhausen, district of Dachau, the LOOP supermarket building is designed so that, after demolition, it does not end up as waste; instead, its materials become available for construction projects implemented at a later stage. The foundation stone of the project was laid on May 19, and the opening is scheduled for fall 2026. The new supermarket will be operated by Edeka Südbayern. The consultants from EPEA GmbH are contributing their expertise in circular economy to the project. EPEA is a subsidiary of Stuttgart-headquartered advisory firm Drees & Sommer SE.
No additives, ecological and healthy: what previously applied only to the organic vegetables on the shelves will in future also be a feature of the building that houses them. The design of Haimhausen’s new supermarket focuses on circularity, with separability and recyclability of the materials used. Buildings are transformed into repositories of raw materials and storages of resources. Instead of concrete and bricks, RATISBONA mainly exploits timber as a truly regenerative construction material. Compared to a traditionally built supermarket, a timber-based structure can considerably reduce the carbon footprint.
Circular Construction Methods Deliver Benefits
For Sebastian Schels, Managing Partner and Chief Environmental Officer of RATISBONA, the concept is not only environmentally worthwhile, but also compelling from a business viewpoint: “In Haimhausen, with the new LOOP supermarket, we are turning the laws of conventional construction upside down. While buildings are being constructed elsewhere that will become problematic waste in just a few decades, here in Haimhausen, we are showing that there is another way: through healthy materials, consistency in circular construction and architecture that takes responsibility. The real question is no longer whether we can build this way, but why we do not do it everywhere.” This assessment is based on a life cycle analysis that jointly evaluates construction, operation and demolition .
Rather than Consuming Resources, Conserve them in High-Quality Condition
The design of the new supermarket building is based on the Cradle to Cradle or C2C principle. After use, materials should either be returned to the technical cycle in the same quality or transferred to the biological cycle in a completely degradable form. In practice, some construction waste is being reused, but often only in a low-grade form. “The rubble from demolished houses and dug-up streets is usually used as filler – so it effectively becomes a downcycled product,“ explains Andrea Heil, the civil engineer responsible for the project on the part of EPEA. “However, a circular building approach that is in line with the principles of C2C means that resources are reused as materials with the same or even higher quality in future construction projects,“ she continues.
Knowledge of the Materials Secures their Value
To ensure that this does not remain just a statement of intent, EPEA documents all relevant data on the materials, their future recyclability and the level of deconstruction in Circularity Passports. The digital building passport provides detailed information about the raw materials used in a building and on the possibilities of their future reuse. In this way, investors can assess any probable losses in value and the long-term appreciation of their real estate assets.
EPEA project manager Andrea Heil comments: “You can think of the materials passport as a list of ingredients. If you want to know what is in a product, you look at the contents. This is how the principle of the building passport works.“ It is a type of digital ID card that captures data on the carbon footprint, the materials contained in a building and in what quantity, the content of harmful substances and pollutants, the separability and recyclability of materials, the disassembly potential and much more. The information is not only useful for documentation purposes, but also helpful for planning processes. In this way, the supermarket building's recyclability was optimized through several revisions before the first stone was laid.
Ecological compatibility is increasingly important when selecting products. All materials used, from ceiling lights to insulation to shopping carts, are tested for their materials-related health. Exclusively low pollutant and healthy products are used.
Added Value for the Location
In addition to the building itself, RATISBONA is also designing the outdoor spaces with a consistent focus on ecological aspects. This involves a considerable space. In the case of retail properties, the ratio of the outdoor area to building area is around two to one. Basis is the company’s ECO.OUTDOOR concept, for which RATISBONA was awarded the Bavarian Climate Protection Prize in 2025 from the Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection.
The ‘sponge city’ concept is key. Surface sealing is reduced to a minimum in parks and outdoor areas. Soil water storages, troughs and retention areas collect rainwater, store it, and release it at a later time in order to prevent the sewage system from being overwhelmed and to counteract the development of heat islands. In collaboration with landscape conservation associations, structurally rich outdoor spaces are created, featuring wildflower areas, sandy zones, hedgerows, as well as habitat and biotope elements for insects, small animals and reptiles.
For more information, please visit: LOOP Supermarket in Haimhausen - RATISBONA