26 June 2009

Northwest Business Environment Awards 2009: The Northwest’s Green Heroes revealed

A sailing club, a local branch of Tesco, a County Council and a furniture manufacturer are amongst this year’s winners of the Northwest Business Environment Awards announced today (June 25, 2009).

The seventh Northwest Business Environment Awards has unmasked 14 of the region’s businesses that have demonstrated excellence in the fields of environmental practice, built environment, sustainable procurement, environmental innovation, communications and environmental leadership.

The region’s foremost environmental business awards were hosted by the Mersey Basin Campaign and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), and supported by partners from across England’s Northwest.

Walter Menzies, Chief Executive of the Mersey Basin Campaign, said: “Despite the economic challenges that business has faced in the region over the past twelve months, I am proud to see that businesses continue to commit to environmental best practise, and put environmental issues at the forefront of their agenda.

“The judges had an extremely difficult task in choosing the winners and runners up in this year’s competition as the bar is raised year on year.”

Mark Hughes, Executive Director of Economic Development at the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) said: “Once again the North West Business Environment Awards have demonstrated how seriously the region’s businesses are committed to excellence in environmental management.

“This year’s winners join an ever growing list of regional organisations that are taking the green agenda seriously, looking at ways to ensure England’s Northwest remains ahead of the game and well prepared for sustainable economic success now and in the future.”

Media enquiries to Jake Smith or Sophie Parkes, Creative Concern
Tel: 0161 236 0600 / M: 07765 018522

The Northwest Business Environment Awards 2009 winners and runners-up are, in no particular order:
Best Environmental Practice (Large Company) category

WINNER - Bacup-based kitchen and bathroom manufacturers, J&J Ormerod

J&J Ormerod has made a wide range of environmental improvements, including installing a wood burning boiler, increasing the amount and type of materials recycled, purchasing more efficient vehicles, training drivers in transport efficiency, fitting lighting sensors and automatic machine controls to reduce energy consumption and target inefficient practices, and implementing staff awareness campaigns. Since 2006, the company has saved over 6,220,000kWh of natural gas and electricity; over 14,600 litres of diesel; 892 tonnes of raw materials, 2,497 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill, all of which amounts to £695,800 in savings and £1.75 million in increased sales.

RUNNER UP - Speke-based retail company, Shop Direct

When GUS and Littlewoods merged to form Shop Direct in 2006, a commitment to tackling climate change was born. Eight projects were developed to reduce energy use, including ‘Wake On LAN’, which automatically turns off PCs in the evenings and at weekends, a partnership with Phillips to implement the widespread use of LED lighting, and a staff awareness campaign with the opportunity to gain the Chartered Institute of Environmental Awareness Certificate. Since 2006, annual electricity consumption in the head office has reduced by almost 20% which equates to £42,200 in savings, and CO2 emissions have reduced by 270 tonnes. 90% of waste at the National Distribution Centre is recycled, and energy demand at the data centres has decreased by 100kW over a six-month period. Shop Direct was awarded The Carbon Trust Standard in 2008.
 
Best Environmental Practice, (SMEs) category

WINNER - Preston-based furniture manufacturer, HJ Berry

This manufacturer of wooden chairs and tables uses timber from renewable sources, replenishes woodlands with native trees, and only uses electricity from green sources, including a biomass system. It is also socially responsible, providing low rent housing for current and retired employees and getting involved in community activities, including providing a cricket pitch in the village of Chipping and promoting wildlife and conservation in the area. HJ Berry ensure that 100% of wood waste is burned in a biomass boiler, whilst 100% of energy consumed is green energy, cutting CO2 emissions from 400 tonnes to zero. 100% of timber consumed on site is from temperate renewable sources, 100% of all recyclable waste is recycled, and 100% of manufacturing is carried out in the UK.

RUNNER UP – Alderley Edge-based telecoms company, Chess Telecom

Chess Telecom has saved £122,000 in paper, printing and postage due to the introduction of web billing, and has cut the amount of waste going to landfill by 50%. Chess has switched to a green energy supplier, recycles all office products such as paper, cardboard, cans and plastic, ensures printers automatically print double-sided, launched a Bike To Work scheme, developed video conferencing software and launched a customer carbon offsetting scheme. Chess Telecom has been awarded ISO 14001 accreditation.
 
Built Environment for project costing more than one million pounds

WINNER – Tesco PLC, Cheetham Hill store, Manchester

In 2007, Tesco CEO, Sir Terry Leahy, set a target that new stores would have a carbon footprint 50% lower than those built in 2006. In 2009, the first such store was built in Cheetham Hill. The new store includes a sustainable timber frame, roof lights to allow natural daylight in, a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant to generate energy from sustainable sources, such a recycled vegetable oil, a natural ventilation system, recycled materials in signage and fixtures, and a metering system to monitor energy wand water use.

RUNNER UP – BDP studio, Manchester

BDP’s new Manchester office is packed with environmental innovations including a stainless steel south façade to minimise solar gain, a transparent north façade to maximise light, natural ventilation through louvers, roof lights for natural daylight, ‘hoppers’ that open at night to cool the exposed concrete slabs (this concrete also absorbs heat during the day), FSC approved timber used for all internal joinery, locally sourced an recyclable building materials, rainwater harvesting for toilets, a ‘brown’ rubble roof to attract the rare Black Redstart bird and benefit local biodiversity, a green travel plan, and recycling of organic food/waste, glass bottles, cans, plastic, metal, cardboard, confidential waste and paper. BDP Studio is the first office building in Manchester to receive the BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.

Built Environment for project costing under one million pounds

WINNER – Liverpool-based Cass Associates for Liverpool Sailing Club

Opened in October 2008 by Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, Liverpool Sailing Club is in a stunning but remote location and off-grid for all services except water. Cass Associates designed the new club with energy self-sufficiency as a priority. An on-site 6kW wind rurbine gathers energy and any excess is diverted into a 2000 litre hot water tank to supply showers, hand basins and electric space heaters, whilst a biofuel generator works as a back up, the moat acts as security and collects rainwater for flushing toilets and washing down boats, and windows and vents allow for natural ventilation.

RUNNER UP – No Runner up was awarded this year
 
Environmental Innovation category

JOINT WINNER - Manchester-based, shiply.com

JOINT WINNER – Leigh, Lancashire-based, Earth Exchange Ltd
shiply.com allows hauliers to search for work submitted by individuals and businesses along the routes they are already driving in order to reduce the amount of lorries travelling empty on Britain’s roads. So far, shiply.com have made a potential reduction of the 36 million tonnes of wasteful CO2 generated by empty lorries and over 500,000 miles of wasted trips since June 2008.
Earth Exchange Ltd allows the construction industry to efficiently streamline and simplify the reuse and recycle philosophy. Users can identify where construction sites are or will be, who is operating there, what and when surplus materials are available, which sites have a deficit in materials, and even the opportunity to match sites with a surplus/deficit of materials. Since July 2008, over 45,000 tonnes of material has been diverted from landfill, over 81,000 tonnes has been exchanged and over 160,000 haulage road miles have been saved. This works out to be 250 tonnes of CO2  savings and a total approximate cost saving of £2.2 million.

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Warrington-based, ENERGOS

ENERGOS, part of ENER-G, began operation of the UK’s first gasification plant to run on municipal waste. The small facility on the Isle of Wight generates 2.3MW of electricity from non-recyclable waste, enough to power more than 3,000 homes. It also promotes recycling and self-sufficiency for the local community.

Sustainable Procurement (private sector) category

WINNER – United Utilities

Sustainability is now embedded in United Utilities’ Corporate Responsibility and Supply Chain policies, and over 75% of employees are now fully engaged with the issues. The company’s Flexible Framework score has risen from 1 to 14 by April 2009 and, along with five other utility companies, a new scheme is being developed to help suppliers measure and manage their own carbon footprint. United Utilities changed from daily deliveries to weekly, significantly reducing their carbon footprint in the process, as well as reducing packaging, choosing recyclable products, and gaining a saving of potentially £1 million each year through switching to recycled plastic for ducting.

RUNNER UP – Arena and Convention Centre, Liverpool

ACC Liverpool has been designed with the environment in mind – wind turbines, rainwater harvesting, heat pumps and motion detection lighting are just some of the technologies in place. An extranet reduces the need for paper hand-outs, recycled materials are used for stationery, merchandise and marketing materials, and a green advice page on the website offers advice for event organisers. A ‘Green Dream Team’ manages and implements these green policies internally. Acc Liverpool has received a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating.  

Sustainable Procurement  (public sector) category

WINNER – Cumbria County Council

Cumbria County Council has spent over £1.2 million on foods grown, reared and manufactured in Cumbria, including beef, lamb, organic milk, bread, vegetables, eggs and pastries. All foods are distributed by Cumbrian companies, the Council adheres to ethical construction methods, there is an increased use of environmentally sound products and a proven commitment to Fair Trade. The Council has made savings of £3.5 million and 150,000 food miles. By 2012, Cumbria County Council’s CO2 emissions will be 25% lower than 2008 levels.

RUNNER UP – Lancashire County Commercial Group School Catering Service

Lancashire County Commercial Group has adopted sustainable food procurement practices, including the increased purchasing of local food, reducing the number of deliveries, choosing higher animal welfare standards, using purchasing power to influence suppliers’ behaviour and raising awareness within the authority. For example, the 573,000 eggs bought every year are all free range, supporting smaller, local suppliers. Lancashire County Commercial Group has reduced food miles, packaging and waste, actively supported local businesses and helped smaller authorities to take advantage of cost savings through LCCG’s buying power.
 
Environmental Leadership Champion category

WINNER  - Colin Nineham, Eden Community Recycling Ltd, Cumbria

In 1980, long before recycling was widely recognised, Colin set up a paper recycling point at his workplace. Colin serviced the site in his spare time, and the public began to use it. Any proceeds from the paper were donated to the local hospital, and over time, can and glass recycling was added. Sorting continued to be done by hand by Colin, until the scheme’s popularity made a second site necessary and volunteers were drafted in to help out. In 2000, plastic recycling was added, followed by drinks cartons five years later. Eden Community Recycling was soon recognised as the most comprehensive service of its kind in the Northwest, and due to popular demand, a new Multi Medium Recycling Unit (MMRU) was developed.

Media and Communications Award

WINNER – United Utilities

In 2008, the in-house press office launched the ‘Tap Into Water’ campaign to get customers to choose tap water over bottled water. Three billion bottles of water are consumed every year – whilst the bottles themselves can take 1000 years to biodegrade, 33,000 tonnes of CO2 is released in their transportation. On the other hand, tap water requires no packaging and costs less than 1p per litre. A huge amount of press coverage and public and political support came from the campaign. A motion was launched to end the consumption of bottled water in the House of Commons, with Gordon Brown and David Cameron pledging their support, whilst the regional press has run 70 articles on the subject so far.

RUNNER UP – Warrington-based Morris and Spottiswood

Over 600 employees, along with suppliers and subcontractors, were targeted with ‘Green Week’, encouraging staff to get involved in issues surrounding sustainability. Text messages, competitions, posters and workshops helped get the message across, whilst the company chose to use hybrid company cars and appointed Enviros as its environmental consultant.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

• The Northwest Business Environment Awards is now in its seventh year and is regarded as the premier regional event of its kind.

• Hosted by the Mersey Basin Campaign and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), the awards is supported by ENWORKS, the Royal Institute of British Architects, Envirolink Northwest, Groundwork Northwest, Environment Agency, Envirowise, Foundation, CBI Northwest, the Institute of Directors the Institute of Civil Engineers, NW Sustainable Procurement Forum and Lancaster University.

• The Northwest Business Environment Awards will be held alongside the region’s long running Envirenergy conference and exhibition which will take place during the day.