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monitoring systems, to better manage usage and limit energy wastage. For example at Manchester Arndale, the roll-out of innovative energy monitoring systems in partnership with specialists, EP&T, has seen electricity use drop every year since 2013 and this approach is being rolled across the entire portfolio. “We’ve already cut energy consumption across out seven managed centres by 29 per cent,” says Duxbury, “which represents a saving of over £600,000 for both our retailers and investor returns.” There are three main ways in which this has been achieved. First is education and a focus on best practice, encouraging centre teams and store staff to avoid wasting light and heat. Second is the use of smart technology to monitor consumption and identify equipment that is running inefficiently. And third is the use of LED lamps and PIR sensors to reduce the burden of lighting a centre. Although M&G took on the burden at Washington Duxbury says smaller projects with quicker paybacks – particularly relamping –can be financed through a centre’s service charge. “In our experience retailers are supportive of anything that pays back in three years or less,” he says. M&G has a dedicated Responsible Property Investment team which comes up with initiatives for the individual asset managers to implement. But equally important are actions taken at individual centre level. “The centre teams are really buying into it, Duxbury says. “We encourage knowledge-sharing across the shopping centre portfolio so it’s not just the big centres that are leading it.” Duxbury concludes: We are proud of this latest strategic investment at The Galleries that will set a new bar for environmental best practice. The creation of renewable energy from equipment installed in otherwise unused areas will help it become an exemplar centre nationally as it markedly lessens the demand for energy from carbon emitting sources.” www.shopping-centre.co.uk

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MARCH 2017 SHOPPING CENTRE

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