Green matters to Brent Cross

Brent Cross shopping centre is one of the greenest companies in the country, according to a survey by a national newspaper.

Europe's first large enclosed shopping centre is "blazing a trail on the environmental front", says The Sunday Times, which places it 33rd in its top 50 Green List.

General manager Tom Nathan said the shopping centre had achieved its position in the table from two specific policies brought into effect in 2006: community involvement and environmental awareness.

"We are a mature lady of 32 years so we're not naturally built for green. But we have always had a special conscience, and have always tried to be part of the community, such as giving talks to local groups, partnering up with the police, planning initiatives with the PCT's and citizen advice bureaus etc.

"The entire Brent Cross team is engaged in this process, with all staff expected to do at least one community exercise a year and managers expected to do at least six.

"Alongside this, we have also tried to develop ways to behave in a more environmentally sensitive way. We are definitely not a paragon of virtue, but we just want to do our bit. We are very committed to this."

Brent Cross already has in place a new waste management system and in 2007 recycled over 1,200 tones of waste produced, almost 1/3 of the total waste. There have also been 9,000 energy efficient lights recently installed within the shopping centre alone and 2,000 outside in the car parks. The savings made from these are enough to provide electricity to a village of 200 houses for a year free of charge!

Future initiatives include installing sensor-operated taps in bathrooms to save water, putting plug points in the car park for electric vehicles and to tackle consumer waste, new recycling bins will be fitted around the centre over the next few weeks.

As part of London Sustainability Weeks 2007, the shopping centre held Green Matters, a two-week drive to encourage shoppers to tackle climate change and it will be back for 2008 from 2-8 June. For more information please visit www.brentcrossgreenmatters.co.uk

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