Out-of-town retail parks are often cited as being unsustainable locations only accessible by car, so the next step for landlords and occupiers is to make these destinations sustainable whilst driving footfall and increasing dwell time. In summary the next logical steps are to;

• Provide Green Travel Plans

• Reduce Energy Consumption

• Improve biodiversity

• Reduce water use

• Provide a sustainable drainage plan

Green Travel Plans

The first step owners are taking is to develop a green travel plan, using tenant employee and customer travel surveys to identify transport patterns highlighting areas where improvements could be made.

Promoting cycling by introducing cycle racks and covered, secure cycle parking for employees and customers, pencouraging car sharing schemes among tenant employees and working with local authorities and transport providers to examine ways to improve the retail park’s public transport connections are all important aspects to providing a more sustainable transport network and cutting down on road and parking congestion around busy retail parks.

Additionally, it is worth considering providing recharging points for electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles. EV charging points are a great new addition to retail parks, driving the use of sustainable vehicles on site, increasing the dwell time of visitors, and when paired with onsite PV (Solar) Cells, can provide visitors with sustainable access. There are often third party suppliers that will take space to provide these, creating an opportunity for increased rent onsite, or landlords can invest in them themselves.

Reduce Energy Consumption

There are two approaches to reducing energy consumption;increased efficiencies and generating renewable energy.

A key area a landlord can reduce consumption is through street lighting around car parks. Conducting a lighting audit can reveal where efficiencies can be made through better siting, directing light to where it is required and via technical improvements such as LEDs.

Roofs are a great opportunity for landlords, after a structural review of weight capacity and any necessary reinforcement work we’ve found that roof-mounted photovoltaic panels, have a payback period of c.7 years. The cost and weight of panels continue to reduce, whilst efficiency improve providing further opportunities for landlords.

However, to really execute energy saving gains it is essential for landlords to work collaboratively with tenants, by;

• Sharing best practice such as including information on energy efficiency technology that is eligible for Enhanced Capital Allowances in the fit out guide.

• Working with tenants to monitor energy consumption and then implement energy saving measures.

• Focus on improving insulation and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.

• Use of Green Leases and environmental clauses to maintain occupational behaviours and avoid landlords becoming non-compliant due to tenant use.

Improve Biodiversity

Biodiversity improvements are also important, green spaces have a positive impact on people’s perception of a place and planting plans with wildlife corridors linking habitats enable wildlife to thrive.

The planting of broadleaved trees and shrubs, less rigorous cutting regimes combined with seeding meadows with a variety of wildflowers and grasses is a low cost but popular way to improve onsite biodiversity.

A biodiversity improvement programme can be integrated into a sustainable drainage plan to mitigate flooding risk.  Soft landscaping, holding ponds and rain garden areas help to reduce run-off, as well as provide an attractive amenity.

Reduce Waste

Having a central waste and recycling managmenet strategy will help reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill, and provide contract cost savings to the benefit of occupiers and the environment. Providing bins for recycling can boost recycling rates.