Strategy

Our strategy is to continually improve our environmental/sustainability standards through direct action with our capital investment programmes and also through communication with and education of our staff and patrons, contractors & suppliers.
Our strategy covers the following five main themes:
• Energy • Construction • Recycling / Waste • Supply Chain •Future Projects

 

Energy

Reducing energy consumption has a positive effect on the environment because less fuel means lower carbon dioxide emissions. Our strategy for reducing energy usage includes:

• Providing an Environmental Awareness Guide to all staff and contractors which includes simple advice and guidance on reducing energy consumption.
• Continuing to develop advanced maintenance contacts for heating and cooling systems.
• Upgrading insulation to the existing building fabric of our businesses when practical and cost effective to do so as part of our ongoing capital investment programme.
• Considering ways of reducing water usage as part of our ongoing capital investment programme.
• Piloting the use of new technologies and energy saving systems.
• Including regular features in our internal literature, on environmental/sustainability awareness and energy conservation issues.

 

Construction

The manufacture of building materials and the process of building construction can have a negative environmental effect. We have a substantial ongoing building refurbishment programme and our strategy to ensure that the implications for the environment are taken into consideration when investing in construction projects includes:

• Reducing the use of materials with a high solvent content such as medial density fibre board (MDF) and other similar materials.
• Encouraging the use of recycled materials and building components.
• Considering the use of sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS).
• In order achieve further clarity on environmental effects each prospective project also undergoes a sustainability development assessment which forms an important part of the development brief.

 

Recycling / Waste

Recycling waste has positive environmental effects as it diverts waste from landfill and reduces the need to use virgin material. Powerful greenhouse gases such as methane can be released when organic waste such as cardboard decomposes in landfill sites. Our strategy focuses on increasing the proportion of waste which is recycled and includes the following measures:

• Providing an Environmental Awareness Guide to all our staff which includes simply advice and guidance on recycling and waste management.
• Including regular features in our internal literature, on environmental awareness and waste management issues.
• Provide space for recycling facilities within the grounds of our businesses when practical and cost effective to do so as part of our ongoing capital investment programme. We currently Recycle Glass, Cardboard, paper minimise the use of paper with our soft copy Policy, use environmentally friendly detergents and where possible use energy efficient lights.

 

Supply Chain

We realise that the way our suppliers and contractors operate can also make a difference to the environment. Our approach to improving the environmental effects of our supply chain includes:

• Promoting best environmental/sustainability practices amongst our suppliers and contractors.
• Promoting equipment that could be used by our staff which has a lower impact on the environment whilst meeting satisfactory standards of operation.
• Our senior management team receive regular updates on environmental issues which affect our business from our Environmental/Sustainability Steering Committee and this policy is reviewed to keep pace with changes and updated to reflect new thinking.

 

Future Projects

In an effort to further upgrade the Kent's commitment to the environment the staff and management at the Kent are always looking at ways to upgrade and use environmentally friendly products and systems we are currently researching:

• Ways to further Reduce Footprint.
• Introduction of Sensor lights.
• Grey water use.