Improving environmental performance

Why improve general environmental performance?
Energy conservation
Water conservation
Stormwater management
Pollution control
Environmental purchasing

Why improve general environmental performance?

Many activities of people and business in today’s world consume large amounts of natural resources and release waste products. Pollution from business activities can find its way back into the natural environment where it can impact and diminish nature’s ability to recover from human intervention.

Business activities are sustainable only if natural resources can be used in a way that allows the environment to retain the capability to produce and recover from this impact. Improved general environmental performance will also help reduce waste production – the two go hand in hand.

Clean and healthy shopping centres take every opportunity to minimise
pollution and introduce measures to control potential pollution sources. Green shopping centres practise:

• energy conservation
• water conservation/stormwater management
• pollution control including air, odour and noise
• environmental purchasing.

Energy conservation

Most of our energy is derived from burning non-renewable fossil fuels which releases carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere and contributes to the greenhouse effect and to general air pollution.  Most energy is used in lighting, cooling and heating. Positive action in energy conservation can limit the impact on the environment and save money as well.

Conserving energy

• Turn off lights out of working hours
• Turn off lights and airconditioners in areas not used with manual switches, movement sensors or timing devices
• Turn off computer equipment when not in use
• Select offi ce equipment, such as copiers and printers, that use less power when on standby
• Encourage retailers to install energy-efficient fluorescent
• globes which save energy and\ money
• Install time clocks on equipment that needs power only at specific periods of operation
• Encourage the planting of trees as they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
• Explore alternative technologies, such as solar power for hot water generation and heating/cooling

Energy savings can be realised by adopting ‘good housekeeping’ energy maintenance techniques. Regular energy audits will help centres with energy efficiency, and save energy and money.

CASE STUDY
Adelaide Central Plaza’s installation of a cogeneration plant enables substantially reduced operating costs and minimises greenhouse gas emissions. Green power is also available to tenants at a small extra cost per kilowatt hour. The centre’s upgrade of their power metering system now monitors areas of high or unnecessary usage to identify potential areas for cost savings.

Water conservation

Water is essential for all living things.
Better water management and conservation in a retail shopping environment has many benefits: it saves money and energy, it reduces pollution of waterways within our communities, it aesthetically improves surroundings and it can limit impact on our aquatic and coastal environment.

The following elements of water conservation and management relate
to general use of water and stormwater pollution prevention methods. Australia is the driest developed continent on earth; it makes good sense that we use and dispose of water as thoughtfully as possible. It makes good business sense as well because it can save you money.

Conserving water

• Check that toilet area taps and cisterns aren’t dripping and monitor them regularly
• Ensure that water conservation devices are installed including dual-flush toilets and, if applicable, low-flow shower roses
• Consult with centre gardening staff to ensure that efficient and effective irrigation systems are installed, green waste is mulched, hours of watering monitored to reduce evaporation loss and planting practices are reviewed for selection of suitable plant species
• Ensure that gardening staff water gardens and not concrete and bitumen
• Ensure that cleaning staff use phosphate-free cleaning products to reduce nutrient levels
• Distribute water conservation advice to retailers and encourage the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products
• Use recycled paper in toilets
• Develop a partnership with relevant water authority to promote water conservation and reuse schemes

CASE STUDY
Westfield Marion has dramatically reduced water consumption, and costs for retailers, since it introduced initiatives in 2004-05. Consumption has dropped by 19% overall, and 12.4% in the second year of the program, by:

• redesigning cooling towers to improve efficiency
• replacing overhead sprinklers with drippers in garden beds
• programming timers on lawn sprinklers to operate in the early morning to reduce evaporation
• installing flow-controlled, vandal-proof aerators on taps in public restrooms.

Stormwater management

Runoff from large open spaces adjacent to centres can gather enormous amounts of rubbish, pollutants and waste and deposit them in adjacent waterways including rivers and creeks, and eventually our coastal environment.

Managing stormwater

• Ensure waste storage and collection areas are roofed to prevent stormwater access, or at the least ensure waste skips have lids to prevent entry of rainwater or waste dispersed by wind
• Ensure all putrescible waste is enclosed in sealed containers before disposal into industrial waste bins
• Keep service alleys and waste collection areas clear of loose rubbish
• Consult the local water authority on stormwater diversion systems for loading bays
• Audit sites regularly to ensure there are no incorrect connections, for example floor drains to stormwater or stormwater to sewer
• Install, service and maintain litter interception devices in centre stormwater entries
• If possible, direct stormwater to landscaped areas or specially designed dedicated grass swales to filter water before it enters the stormwater system
• Ensure that staff and retailers sweep rather than hose down areas
• Be aware of the dangers from cigarette butts; install ‘butt bins’ in outside areas and ensure that cleaners regularly monitor them
• Place clearly labelled litter bins in prominent positions in parking areas
• Develop a relationship with local catchment water management authorities to network opportunities for mutual benefit
• Ensure gardening staff reduce herbicide use for weed control
• Arrange for steam cleaning of surfaces affected by unsightly deposits, such as gum and oil

CASE STUDY
Stockland Parabanks’ uses stormwater drain stencilling program visual methods to raise community awareness of the need to protect local waterways through effective control of litter and waste. Drains are also regularly maintained to remove build up of any waste materials together with a program for sweeping of car park areas to minimise litter problems.

CASE STUDY
Numerous centres are providing dedicated cigarette butt bins for smokers in designated areas away from entrances to comply with new smoking legislation. Smokers are encouraged to use bins in preference to discarding butts on footpaths or in gutters and eventually ending up in local waterways.

Pollution control

Make the shopping environment in your centre as comfortable as possible for shoppers and retailers by complying with government regulations, and controlling air, odour and noise pollution.

Controlling pollution

Air

• Ensure that air monitoring audits are regular and sample: temperature, humidity, dust, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, micro-organisms, airborne asbestos and others as required by relevant standards
• Arrange for regular sampling of Legionella bacteria from cooling towers
• Regularly examine air handling units inside ductworks
• Raise centre management, retailer and community awareness of ozone layer depletion issues, for example fridge gas, car airconditioners and halon gas disposal, through a cooperative approach with government authorities
• Promote tree planting to filter and cool air around centres

Odour

• Install odour extractors in toilets
• Install extractors into loading areas to eliminate vehicle fumes
• Install deodorisers in and around waste compactors

Noise

• Monitor excess noise in and around centres
• Monitor external contractors and apply conditions to limit noise
• Consider the noise impact when purchasing new plant and equipment

Environmental purchasing

Shopping centres and retailers, as major purchasers of goods and services, are in a position to exercise considerable influence on certain product markets. In looking to introduce an effective environmental purchasing policy, centres must first review existing policies and ensure that new policies promote the purchase of products that minimise waste and environmental impact.

An environmental purchasing policy in a retail environment should:

• establish purchasing guidelines for waste prevention (durability, concentration, reuse and high quality)
• consider the length of warranty and availability of repairs when purchasing equipment
• perform life cycle cost analysis on products, assessing maintenance, energy and water use and disposal methods
• allow a price preference for durable, reusable, repairable and recycled products
• purchase refillable or reusable products
• purchase in bulk to minimise packaging
• order merchandise with minimal packaging or layers of packaging
• avoid or minimise the purchase of products that can cause environmental harm such as cleaning materials, preservatives, pesticides and fungicides
• look to eliminate the purchase of products that contain toxic materials
• request that deliveries be transported in returnable containers
• place orders by phone or email
• encourage ‘environmentally friendly’ products created locally and/or regionally
• refuse any packaging that uses styrene foam
• provide educational material to retailers and staff regarding waste prevention through purchasing.

Form 4 and Form 5  have more hints for retailers.

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