I expect SUPER-HEERO to involve customers, raise their awareness (…) and give them the chance to play an active role in the transition to a low-carbon economy – Interview with Tándem Franquicias
Jaime Beltrán, from Tándem Franquicias, is in charge of engaging Spanish supermarkets as pilots in the SUPER-HEERO project. This involves the first approach as well as the maintenance of an active collaboration. Jaime and his colleagues from Tándem also lead the advertising campaign held by supermarkets to raise awareness about their involvement in the project.
What are your expectations from the SUPER-HEERO project?
Our main expectations are to implement, together with the other consortium partners, energy efficiency strategies and unlock the potential of energy savings in the retail sector. We also expect to learn from our fellow partners and expand our know how.
We think boosting energy transition processes in supermarkets can materialize in great economic, social and environmental gains. Having in mind that supermarkets operate with a very tight margin and energy accounts between a 10%-15% of the total operating cost, the potential of this project is huge.
What is the main role of TANDEM in SUPER-HEERO?
TANDEM is the facility manager of the SUPER-HEERO pilots that are being developed in Spain. We will lead the pilot activities in collaboration with the supermarket chain DIA, one of the biggest supermarket chains in Spain with over 3,000 supermarkets across the country.
We are very happy that supermarket chains such as DIA and COVIRAN, with thousands of units across Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Brasil have decided to participate in the project and we hope they will serve as models for other supermarket chains to get involved in the project.
Can you talk a bit about the work you are planning to do on the engagement of Spanish supermarkets as pilot sites?
Part of our main activities within the SUPER-HEERO project will be to implement a crowdfunding scheme to support energy efficiency renovation, support our consortium partners in all the activities held in the pilot units and advertise and promote the SUPER-HEERO project among the customers visiting the pilot units.
Last, but not least, we will also collaborate with the project consortium in the replication of SUPER-HEERO across Spain and Europe.
What do you think will be the main outcomes of the SUPER-HEERO project?
We hope to demonstrate that operating costs of supermarket chains can be reduced by implementing energy efficiency measures based on crowdfunding and loyalty schemes.
In addition, we hope to involve customers, raise their awareness about environmental issues and the importance of energy efficiency, and give them the chance to play an active role in the transition to a low-carbon economy.