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Sustainability Acronyms You Need To Know | CGBC
With so many Sustainability Acronyms it can be hard to make sense of all the jargon. So, here’s an...
The Ilac Shopping Centre opened in 1981 and has since undergone several renovations and expansions to modernise its facilities and offerings.
It is a bustling retail complex located in the heart of Dublin, which is the home to eighty stores, including Boots, Dunnes, River Island, Tuthills and much more.
It is managed by property management experts Aramark, with thousands of people, from shoppers to maintenance workers, crossing its threshold every week.
Project Objectives
In 2018, The Ilac Centre made a strategic decision to pursue ISO 50001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification.
The aim was to transform the shopping destination into a sustainable and environmentally responsible space.
To this end, CGBC was appointed to perform a ISO 50001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 gap analysis, draft a business case, and develop and deliver a project plan to achieve certification and implement an integrated management system for EHS ms (ISO 14001 & ISO 45001) and a separate EnMS for ISO 50001 in line with Hammerson’s sustainability strategy, the goal was to ensure the Ilac Centre played its part in achieving the group-wide aim of becoming Net Positive for Carbon, Water, Resource use and Socio-economic impacts by 2030.
Key Challenges
The Ilac Centre, with its 200,000 square feet of retail space, multiple tenants, and high footfall, presented unique challenges.
These included ensuring 100% tenant compliance, gaining contractor buy-in, and developing compliant documentation to articulate the organisation’s codes of conduct. Additionally, the Ilac Centre had to consider the impact on the hundreds of external workers, shoppers, and maintenance personnel who frequented the premises daily.
Understanding how ISO 50001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 standards applied to the Centre and its stakeholders was not a challenge for the experienced CGBC ISO consultants.
Actions Taken
Initially, the team needed to determine the application of ISO 50001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 standards to The Ilac Centre’s premises and personnel.
The focus was on identifying necessary additions and modifications to existing health and safety measures to comprehensively address their work activities and ensure a positive visitor experience.
This comprehensive review encompassed existing protocols for managing systems like Air Conditioning, Heating, and Lifts. It also extended to the coordination of external contract work, covering aspects such as cleaning and maintenance (roof, masonry, etc.), including considerations for access permissions, security permits, personal protective equipment (PPE), roof, and hot works, among others.
In its capacity as a multi-tenant landlord, the Ilac Centre has responsibility for advocating for Energy, environmental & health and Safety best practices across its extended tenant-base.
Consequently, the scope of CGBC’s responsibilities expanded to include an assessment of both fire and crisis management procedures, as well as tenant inspection protocols and documentation. The findings were reported, accompanied by recommendations for regularising and enhancing these procedures.
Results
ISO 14001 & ISO 45001 (Integrated EHS Management system)
Upgraded works to their Loading Bays and the introduction of a Master Register of all Contractors and relevant documentation. Since adopting the duo of standards, the Ilac Centre has succeeded in generating optimal levels of Tenant Awareness, which it continues to maintain through the distribution of a regular Tenant Newsletter.
It has also enhanced its Emergency Preparedness by way of introducing a robust Business Continuity Plan, developing a bespoke People Training Program and carrying out a 360 review of the centre’s Fire Safety Risk Assessment Plan.
The CGBC/Ilac Centre ISO implementation project has seen significant changes to the centre’s environmental practices including a 100% changeover to LED & LUX lighting and the installation of a Water Metering System across all units to underpin its water conservation plans.
Continuous improvement of Environmental Sustainability practices and procedures continues to be a focus for the CGBC/Ilac project team. The Ilac team is currently working in partnership with Dublin City Council to implement pivotal environmental measures across Dublin City.
ISO 50001 (Energy Management system)
With full adoption of ISO 50001 Energy Management System Standard, it helped secure several benefits not least of which included a 34% decrease in electricity consumption (from a 2019 base year) to the end of 2022. These savings will be built upon again in 2023 as a number of initiatives have been completed under the SEAI Better Energy Communities Scheme.
These initiatives include:
- New high efficiency Air Handling unit, over door air curtain
- Upgraded Building management system
- Smart electrical meters installed throughout for scope 3
- Air Source Heat Pump for the domestic hot water system
- Robotic cleaning machines minimising water consumption and using night time electricity
- As a result, as of May 2023, the Ilac Centre’s ‘landlord areas’ have become fully electrified with the elimination of natural gas.
As a result of its dedication to, and ongoing compliance with, the stringent requirements of their three-standard, integrated ISO Management system, the Ilac Centre is tracking to become Net Positive by 2030, helping to ensure that the entire Hammerson portfolio is on the same pathway to full sustainability.
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