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"British Land has
launched a Sustainability and Climate Change touring exhibition as part
of its drive to reduce water, waste and energy use in its £20 billion
property portfolio. The company also announced the introduction of free
home energy audits for employees to help them to reduce their own
environmental impact. The exhibition aims to help raise awareness of
what simple measures people and businesses can take to reduce their
resource usage and related carbon footprint. It will initially tour
eight British Land venues in the UK, giving over 2.5 million people the
opportunity to see the exhibition within the first four months. The
exhibition, inspired by Business in the Community, uses a series of
giant billboards and static displays bearing practical information and
easy measures that will help everyone to reduce their carbon footprint
and make good environmental choices. The displays touch on the issues of
energy use, carbon emissions, sustainable transport, water use,
recycling and waste reduction. Actions can be as easy as turning the
thermostat down one degree, changing to energy saving lightbulbs,
washing clothes at 30 degrees, recycling mobile phones, taking a shorter
shower, or turning off appliances. Last year British Land reduced
substantially its environmental impact for the third consecutive year
and has committed to accelerating its initiatives with the aim of
becoming carbon neutral by 2008/2009. However, with around 90 per cent
of CO2 emissions in British Land properties coming from customer
controlled areas, the launch of the exhibition underlines the company’s
determination to advance the cause of Climate Change and Sustainability,
in partnership with Office and Retail customers, at its properties and
in the property sector in general. Stephen Hester, British Land Chief
Executive, said: “We all have a responsibility to help tackle the
effects of climate change and the aim of the roadshow is to help
everyone become more environmentally friendly. It is also about using
our influence to ensure environmental and sustainability concerns are
addressed at the properties in which we invest.
“One of the biggest challenges British Land faces in advancing
Sustainability is in customer controlled areas and we hope that this
exhibition will act as a catalyst for even greater co-operation and
collaboration with our occupiers. It is through a collaborative approach
that electricity, for example, reduced 16.6 per cent in our London
office portfolio in the last year.“ The exhibition will highlight some
of British Land’s own property specific initiatives: Automatic tap
sensors and washroom flushing systems at Eastgate Shopping Centre are
reducing water use by up to 70 per cent; installation of wind turbines
at the planned extension to Fort Kinnaird Shopping Park would reduce
carbon emissions by 15%; Central recycling facilities at several retail
parks mean customers can recycle as they shop; Of the 7,500 tonnes of
waste that will be produced at Broadgate this year 3,800 tonnes will be
recycled. Energy efficient LED bulbs and movement light sensors at
several of properties have reduced energy use by 66 per cent;
Intelligent landscape irrigation systems, drought resistant plants in
public realm areas and rainwater harvesting helped reduce water use last
year by 16 per cent; new developments are targeting 15 per cent of
recycled content by value for the entire building and also targeting
re-use of 50 per cent of all works materials.The exhibition builds on
the BITC/BCSC UK wide shopping centre Climate Change series launched in
April by HRH The Prince of Wales at British Land’s Peacock Shopping
Centre in Woking. Each British Land venue will also showcase its own
environmental initiatives, and those that it would like to encourage to
help everyone to make good environmental choices.
British Land plans to extend the roadshow to more of its properties next
year." CS della Società
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