* * * * *
* Brent Cross Press Releases *
*
*
<<<Back to Press Releases
28 August 2007

OLDEST SHOPPING CENTRE IS GREENEST

Brent Cross Shopping Centre has committed to becoming one of the UK's most environmentally-friendly centres by implementing a number of strategies directed towards recycling, energy saving and sustainability.

The first public initiative launches with a two week exhibition, Green Matters (2 - 17 June). The event, part of London Sustainability Weeks 2007, sees Brent Cross with an active role in helping its customers find out how they can help tackle issues such as landfill, climate change and sustainability in small, easy steps.

GREEN MATTERS, THE EXHIBITION
The main exhibition is in partnership with Business in the Community (BITC) and the British Council of Shopping Centres, with an advice centre provided by Barnet Council. Featuring everything from energy-efficiency products and advice to the latest in electric transport, Green Matters is also involving some of the retailers at Brent Cross who are also passionate about the environment, such as Marks & Spencer, Waitrose, John Lewis, Starbucks, Timberland, Levi's and AutoValet.

Tom Nathan, General Manager for Brent Cross Shopping Centre, says, "Recent research* tells us that 92% of our customers believe making small steps now can make a big difference in the future, but only 15% are active in making changes such as recycling.

"As the first shopping centre built in Britain, Brent Cross was not originally designed to be a model of sustainability, but then neither are the majority of our customers' homes, so we have something in common. However, we recognise the importance of taking steps to reduce our carbon footprint and have been successful in starting to make the Centre a more environmentally friendly place, recognising that we still have a long way to go. With the potential to reach over 650,000 customers over the next two weeks, we hope Green Matters will help our customers achieve their own small steps at home. And we're trying to show that it doesn't have to be expensive or hard to be green; at Green Matters, visitors will learn ways to help save money as well as help save the planet!"

GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK
To support the event, Brent Cross has invested in a four-week medium-weight advertising campaign. The creative, developed by Brent Cross' long term creative agency, Baber Smith, is entitled 'Green is the new Black'. Explains Brent Cross' head of marketing, Norman Black: "The campaign ties into our award-winning 'Feed your Addiction' brand campaign, which plays on the passion our customers have for fashion and shopping. We hope that 'Green is the New Black' reflects the passion we believe so many of our visitors will also have for sustainability, once they have seen the exhibition."

Advertising Creative
The press campaign shows a model dressed in stylish black clothing, complete with a pair of green Wellington boots. An alternative creative shows the model wearing a 'little black dress' and carrying a green recycling box instead of a handbag.

Media
The media planning, by AMS Media Group, has been developed to reach approximately 80% of the catchment audience in NW London an average of 30 times. Media includes full page colour ads in six local titles, a wrap with the Hendon Times group, T-sides on 150 buses coming out of NW London depots, 91 six sheets and four mega 6s in strategic positions in NW London. All print produced for Brent Cross is carbon neutral and/or on recycled paper, and their Green Matters door drops are also scheduled to reach 600,000 local homes.

GREEN MATTERS ONLINE
In addition, Brent Cross has set up a microsite - www.brentcrossgreenmatters.co.uk - dedicated to Green Matters. It includes details on the event, what Brent Cross, its partners and retailers are doing in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint and tips on what the general public can do to be more environmentally friendly at home.

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT, THE FUTURE IS GREEN
Brent Cross has set itself the ambitious mission to become one of the greenest shopping destinations in Britain, as part of the proposed Brent Cross Cricklewood development which, if approved, is designed to be one of the most eco-friendly schemes in Europe.

SMALL STEPS CAN HELP CHANGE THE WORLD
Over the past three years, Brent Cross has been working towards reducing its impact on the environment, in the process winning awards for its recycling and waste management.
So far Brent Cross has:
"Installed 9,000 energy efficient lights, saving enough energy to power 200 houses for a year.
"Installed water-reduced urinals in the Centre Court men's toilets, each year saving approximately 750,000 litres of water, sufficient to almost fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
"Increased its recycling to 40% of all the waste produced at the Centre, with a target to achieve 45% by the end of 2007. This compares to a UK average of 15%
"Saved 15,984 trees thanks to its efforts in recycling cardboard.
"Introduced plans to install automatic taps throughout the centre in 2007, saving a further 365,000 litres of water a year.
"Recycled 0.7 tonnes of plastic per month, with a target of 4 tonnes per month before the end of 2007.
"Sourced its electricity from renewable sources.
"Undertaken a study to find out the best way to restrict lighting usage and maximise natural daylight while maintaining legislative requirements. The preliminary findings suggest that this will further reduce electricity usage at Brent Cross by 6%.