One of the Midlands' leading retail destinations has achieved
phenomenal cost savings after implementing an environmental
management system.
Lower Precinct shopping centre in Coventry, which is managed by
real estate services firm, DTZ and owned by Royal London, has
reduced its electricity usage by 30%, water usage by 20%, increased
waste recycling to 85% and reduced its landfill costs from
£64 to £34 per tonne.
In 2010, in partnership with Coventry Council's Business
Sustainability team, the centre embarked on attaining the ISO 14001
accreditation, an international standard for controlling and
improving a company's environmental performance, which has helped
to achieve success through energy efficiencies, water use, waste
recycling and segregation and marketing opportunities.
Earlier this month, Lower Precinct Centre Manager, Mark Dixon
was named by Sustainability West Midlands, as one of seven 'Green
Leaders' in Coventry and Warwickshire tasked with driving forward
the region's green agenda with the aim of achieving a low carbon
economy by 2020.
Initiatives to spearhead this at Lower Precinct include, the
formation of an environmental committee, appointment of
environmental champions, introduction of a recycling hub, engaging
tenants through various channels, including 'tool box' talks and
even implementing water saving 'Hippos' into the centre's toilet
cisterns.
The benefits of implementing an Environmental Management System
have quickly became apparent, as Mark Dixon, explains: "In these
challenging economic times, saving costs is at the forefront of
everyone's minds. The achievements DTZ has made at Lower Precinct
demonstrate that simple changes can, not only make efficiencies and
importantly save costs, but also help the environment we live and
work in."
Robert Heald, Senior Surveyor in DTZ's Retail Management team,
comments: "Mark's success in developing the Environmental
Management System provides a positive and tangible benefit to all
existing tenants of Lower Precinct and aids in promoting the centre
to prospective retailers going forward."
Brendan Noonan, Sustainability Consultant, Coventry City Council
Business Sustainability Team, said: "Mark Dixon has brought his own
enthusiasm for environmental issues into his workplace. Nowadays
many of the major retail companies have environmental policies and
procedures but to find this in shopping centre management is rare.
Mark has not been content to keep the focus on internal management
and staff but has ensured shopping centre tenants and the general
public are also engaged."