Sustainability
Environmental & Sustainability Initiative
At Aviva Investors we believe that responsible investment requires a detailed understanding of sustainability issues. As a major international real estate asset manager, we are working with our partners and advisors to fully play our part in ensuring the real estate industry plays a leading role in addressing the world's sustainability challenges. At Aviva Investors real estate we believe that through a major commitment to sustainability and its complexities we will continue to deliver our clients investment objectives.
At the Mell Square 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 make every effort to help reduce it. We believe it is important to share these efforts with our customers so they understand how important sustainability is to us.
Do we recycle?
Yes we do. In fact, we have been recycling the centre waste since the year 2000.
• We currently recover 90% of our general waste, diverting it from landfill. We also remove all batteries and fluorescent tubes from the general waste stream and we have paper/card/plastic/glass/tin waste containers in all of the scheme’s office blocks and management facilities.
• 95% of waste cardboard generated by our retail and office tenants is collected and processed by our waste contractor.
How do we manage water and electricity?
• Water and electricity meters have been installed throughout the scheme and consumption is continuously monitored.
• A combination of low energy lamps, reduced operating hours and movement activated switching has seen electricity consumption reduced by an average 5%/annumfor the last 3 years.
• The introduction of new heating control systems ensures that energy is only consumed at critical business operation hours.
• The provision of cistermiser water valves in toilet areas has resulted in a 10% reduction in water consumption.
Do we care about the local community?
Oh yes we do!
• The open area at the heart of Mell Square has become the centre of community activity in the town centre. Planned activities include weekly charitable collections, local farmers markets, police beat surgeries, and jobs fairs.
• Since 2009, Mell Square has been the finishing point for the town’s annual ‘Race for Life’, which raises many thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK’s fight against breast cancer.
• The Centre has been the main sponsor of Solihull Rotary Club’s Disabled Sports Day for the past 10 years.
• Mell Square is home to Solihull Lions Club’s annual Family Fun Day, which raises funds for numerous local charities, including the Royal Star & Garter Home within the borough.
What are our future plans?
• We aim to increase recycling of all waste materials.
• We plan to replace all centralised water heating with local, high efficiency, units in the scheme’s office blocks
• We will continue to investigate use of solar panels for centre management electricity.
• We will shortly be introducing a new shopfitting guide, which vigorously encourages the recycling of waste and the use of sustainable materials and techniques by our tenant’s contractors.
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