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| 07/03/2008 | BEING GREEN, BEING PROFITABLE |
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ASDA SUSTAINABILITY CHIEF CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE TO AVOID GREENWASH DEVELOPMENT The Department for Communities and Local Government should give local planners greater guidance on how to achieve sustainability objectives in order to avoid “green wash” development according to Bob Simpson, Head of Sustainable Development at UK’s second largest retailer ASDA. Speaking at retail property organisation BCSC’s Shopping Centre Management Conference in Manchester on Tuesday, 4 March 2008, Simpson highlighted the trend for planners to seek very visible signs of sustainability – such as small wind turbines and photovoltaic panels – which often to not deliver real environmental payback. ASDA only includes these technologies in stores where it is required to do so by planners, preferring to pursue initiatives that deliver real impact – reducing carbon emissions and operational costs – including glass doors on chiller cabinets, increased use of natural light and ventilation, lighting control and bio-mass. Simpson called for clearer direction about the definition of renewable power – which currently includes carbon emitting combined heat & power (CHP) - and methods for reducing carbon emissions as well as guidance and even possible incentives for those, like ASDA, that are already hitting targets to strive to achieve more. Simpson said: “Solar panels and small wind turbines just don’t produce enough power, but planners like them so sometimes you have to include them. But, I don’t think it’s the planners’ fault. The lack of guidance from central government is causing uncertainty which makes it easier for them to opt for the very obvious sustainability technologies rather than taking a broader view and ensuring that developers actually put in place technology that will have a significant reduction in carbon emissions. “ASDA has spent more than £22 million reducing the carbon footprint of existing stores and is currently investigating a wide range of initiatives including CHP and ground source heat & power to generate power for stores and surrounding communities.” BCSC’s Shopping Centre Management Conference brings together leading experts on retail management, marketing, customer relations and sustainability. The conference, held in association with the College of Estate Management, ran from 3 to 5 March and was themed ‘Rethink Retail’. Over 500 delegates attended keynote speeches and workshop sessions, and a concurrent industry exhibition featured some 45 companies. |
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