The Overgate Centre is committed to continual improvement in our environmental performance through the implementation of the Environmental Action Plans for all areas of operations and the establishment of measurable environmental objectives and targets minimising our environmental impact and making resource efficiency a core requirement of all our operations.
Sustainability defines the way we operate now and into the future: it’s a commitment that ranges from living our corporate values and operating Incident and Injury Free through to the consistent delivery of environmentally sustainable solutions and long-term prosperity for all stakeholders. Overgate’s Overall Target is to be Best in Class of Portfolio and Scotland. We work with external agencies Carbon Trust, Envirowise, Dundee City Council, support and sponsorship of Scottish Waste Aware (SWAG) initiatives.
We recognise the legacy of our activities and we are accountable for what we take, what we create and what we leave behind.
In order to achieve the specific targets set for improving recycling by over 10% and reducing utility consumption of gas and electricity by at least 5% in next 12 months, we have shown improvement in many areas, including:
- Water - Consumption of water is closely monitored and we will continue to work to reduce the consumption of water within the property and reduce discharges. Overgate is currently trialling the use of waterless urinals in order to reduce water consumption.
- Energy reduction initiatives – We are monitoring and managing the consumption and use of energy and working to reduce the consumption of energy with the introduction of energy initiatives such as high efficiency lighting and reducing running times of plant and equipment and to reduce our contribution to emissions of gases and other pollutants which are believed to contribute to climate change.
- Community partnerships – Overgate is working with Crieff High School as part of the Government Initiative Go4SET, to educate school children about the importance of sustainability.
- Waste Minimisation - Waste management and recycling initiatives have been implemented across all tenants and operations with all waste being either recycled or reused through incineration to create energy. Increasing recycling is the immediate target by working with retailers and providing easy use recycling facilities.
The Lend Lease Retail and Communities 2008 Sustainability Update, which details our non-financial performance since our 2007 Sustainability Report can be found at www.lendleasesustainability.co.uk