Festival Place, one of the UK’s top 25 retail and leisure destinations, has once again received recognition for its environmental practices through the Green Apple Environment Awards, acknowledging its ongoing commitment to energy reduction and well-being initiatives.
To reduce energy consumption, Festival Place initiated a trial by switching off selected Air Handling Unit fans once the desired mall temperature was reached. The successful outcome led to the implementation of this approach across nearly all other Air Handling Units within the centre. Furthermore, software modifications were introduced to limit the operation of Air Handling Units when they were not required to provide heating. These efforts resulted in an 18% reduction in usage compared to 2019.
In line with its commitment to well-being, Festival Place designated a small area on-site as a “Giving Garden.” This transformation involved converting an overlooked section of the grounds outside Festival Place into a space where local residents could connect with plants to enhance their mental health and well-being. The initiative has had a profound impact on the local community, garnering support from participating schools.
Gary Cooper, Head of Operations at Festival Place, commented, “Our aim with these projects was to establish the best environmental practices within a large UK shopping centre that welcomes 22 million visitors annually. Both our visitors and tenants have directly benefited from these initiatives.”
Having launched in October 2002, Festival Place is the highest ranked shopping centre outside a major UK city. It is listed in the top 25 of the latest Global Data’s UK shopping centres report and sits within Trevor Wood Associates’ Premier League of shopping centres. The 1.1 million sq. ft retail and leisure destination features retail, dining and leisure brands such as Apple, H&M, M&S, Next, Waterstones and Five Guys alongside amenities including a Sports Centre with swimming pool and gym, a 10-screen Vue Cinema, a Flip Out trampoline park, Escape and indoor entertainment experience plus office space and a library.
Joint agents for Festival Place are Lunson Mitchenall and Cushman & Wakefield. CBRE is the managing agent for the centre.
