Environmental Initiatives
At the Westgate Shopping Centre sustainability plays an important role in the decision making process. We realise the tremendous impact the built environment has on the world, and we are taking steps wherever possible to reduce our carbon footprint and increase sustainability. We believe it is important to share these efforts with our customers and tenants so they understand how important sustainability is to us and the environment.
Do We Recycle?
Yes we do. In fact, we have been recycling the centre waste since 2007 and since December 2011, 100% of our waste is now recycled resulting in a zero percentage to landfill. We are also pleased to announce we have substantially reduced our carbon footprint by minimising the frequency of waste collections.
- We currently recycle paper, card, plastic, glass and tins. We recently introduced recycling bins to our mall and hope to educate our customers and retail tenants to increase recycling and reduce landfill waste.
- All waste cardboard generated by our retail tenants is collected and processed by our waste contractor. We try to encourage retailers to use re-useable containers for deliveries and avoid cardboard boxes altogether.
How Do We Manage Water and Electricity?
- Water and electricity meters have been installed throughout the Centre and consumption is continuously monitored.
- We have recently installed a monitoring device to our water system to highlight any irregularities in consumption which may be as a result of an undetected water leak.
- Water hippos have been installed to tenant, public and staff toilets to reduce water consumption. We also recently held an event with the local radio station, Jack FM, who gave away free water hippos to our customers in the Centre.
- A combination of low energy lamps, reduced operating hours and movement activated detectors has seen electricity consumption reduced.
- Our heating control systems ensures that energy is only consumed at critical business operation hours.
Do We Care About The Local Community?
Oh yes, we do!
- Over the years we have raised more than £50,000 for local charities and individuals. This year we raised £5,000 to fund the early training of a guide dog. Alexis was born on 28 May 2011 and has just been placed with her puppy walker. If she successfully completes her six month training programme, she will be placed with a local blind person.
- We host a number of free children’s workshops including an Eco Craft Workshop, which involves an anti-carbon footprint workshop, a bee house workshop and a communal sculpture making workshop which solely uses recyclable materials and educates customers on endangered animals.
- We donate all our surplus art and craft materials from our workshops to local schools.
- We donate our mall space to assist charities and non profit making organisations to create awareness of their brand and activities.
- We sponsor Stevenage Football Club and promote the activities of the youth football club to ensure teamwork and fitness are promoted within the community to enhance children’s fitness and wellbeing.
- We sponsor the local Community and Business Awards.
- We work with a local church to provide customers with free light bulbs when the clocks go back, free lemons on Pancake Day and a free wrapping service at Christmas.
- Our control room is a hub for town link radio watch scheme for the Town Centre, which assists to improve communications with the police and crime watch and crime fighting.
- In association with the police, we piloted a ‘Keep Safe’ scheme at the Centre, where participating retailers at key locations in the town centre displayed a recognised symbol in their windows (picture of a telephone) to assist vulnerable people and people with learning disabilities who may be lost or separated from their carers and may require help.
What Are Our Future Plans?
- We aim to continue to educate our retailers and customers to recycle more.
- We aim to further reduce our energy consumption.
- We aim to educate and enlist retail tenants to review their own energy management in store and look to reduce electricity and water consumption.
- We aim to review our shopfitting guide to encourage the recycling of waste and the use of sustainable materials and techniques by our tenant’s contractors.