Idlewells secures International Green Apple Award for ‘Reduce the Juice’ initiative

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 30 September 2021

Sutton-in-Ashfield-based shopping centre Idlewells has secured an International Green Apple Environment Award as part of a national campaign to find the greenest companies, following its recent ‘Reduce the Juice’ project.

More than 500 businesses recently competed in the International Green Apple Awards which are run by The Green Organisation - an international, independent, non-profit, non-political environment group founded in 1994. The work the group completes aims to reward and promote environmental best practice around the globe.

Idlewells has been recognised for its ‘Reduce the Juice’ initiative, which aimed to lower energy consumption for the shopping centre, focusing largely on unused areas. A redundant basement had been identified as an area where savings could be made, which in the past had been excluded from lighting upgrades because it is 'back of house'.

In total, 63W fluorescent light fittings were replaced by 30W LED fittings, with the project reducing energy consumption by 50% on average over an eight month period. 

The new LED fittings also reduced ongoing repair bills, cut down on excess waste and lowered the centre’s overall carbon footprint as a result of less travel for engineers attending site to replace light fittings as they expire.

Idlewells will be presented with its trophy and certificate at a glittering presentation ceremony at the Houses of Parliament in London on the 15th November. The centre has also been invited to accept Green World Ambassador status, with its winning paper published in The Green Book - the leading international work of reference on environmental best practice. This recognition will allow other businesses and individuals around the world to learn from Idlewells’ achievements.

Securing the UK title also entitles Idlewells to represent its country in the forthcoming Green World Environment Awards, which are held in a different country every year.

For Idlewells’ Centre Manager Chloe O’Donnell, taking home the International Green Apple Award is testament to the team’s efforts in following environmental best practice across the centre.

“Our Reduce the Juice project was all about lowering our carbon footprint and making important environmental pledges as a business, so that we are as clean and green as we can possibly be,”

“Every business has a part to play in tackling the global environmental crisis we are now facing, so every small change goes towards making a big difference,

Chloe continues, “As ever at Idlewells, the results we’ve seen are the result of a collective team effort. From the staff that worked together to define the project, to the engineers and teams on the ground making the changes and implementing these carbon reductions - for me it is only fitting that their efforts are recognised with this award. It’s a fantastic achievement!”

For more information about Idlewells, visit www.idlewells.co.uk. 

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