Northwest Business Environment Awards 2008 roll call of Green Heroes
30 June 2008 |
The Mersey Basin Campaign and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) today (June 26, 2008) announced the winners to the Northwest Business Environment Awards 2008.
A Cumbrian school, local council and office manufacturer are among this year’s winners to the region’s only professional awards event to recognise and celebrate environmental excellence in business.
A total of nine companies including a special accolade to acknowledge the individual achievements and leadership from one of the region’s top business leaders collected first class honour at an awards ceremony that took place this evening, at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester.
Honours were given for best environmental practice, built environment, sustainable procurement, environmental innovation and environmental communications.
Best Environmental Practice (Large Company) category
WINNER - Accrington-based designers and manufacturers, Senator International
Senator’s green improvements have led to the creation of a five-strong Environment Team and the standardising of systems and policies across the organisation. Over 35 waste streams have been identified and major waste reduction and energy saving measures taken. It means that plastics, metals, textiles and cardboard are all being recycled and Senator is now influencing the recycling habits of its supply chain companies and customers.
RUNNER UP - Oldham-based bakery, Park Cakes Ltd
Park Cakes implemented an Environmental Management System, which has helped to cut carbon emissions, reduce waste sent to landfill and minimise food mileage. Impressed with the results, another system was purchased to identify further energy reduction opportunities. During 2007, waste sent to landfill was reduced by 75% and led to over 600 tonnes of baled and recycled cardboard, water saving initiatives have cut usage by almost half and Park Cakes have enjoyed a raised profile and improved relations with its key customers.
Best Environmental Practice, (SMEs) category
WINNER - Chorley-based Pincroft Dyeing and Printing Co
Reviewing existing processes, resetting timers and raising awareness amongst the staff has allowed Pincroft to found innovative solutions to protecting and conserving the environment. Reusing the water used in the dying process has saved around £200,000 per annum. Improving the washers has also removed the need for acetic acid meaning that the wastewater from this can be put back into the system, and effluent savings have totalled £71,000 and chemical savings £20,000 per annum. Alongside this, the caustic recovery plant has been upgraded, generating savings of 40 tonnes of caustic soda and £240,000 a year.
RUNNER UP - Feathers Hotel and Catering Group, which has hotels in Liverpool, Warrington, Chester and Manchester
Made up of eight hotels across the Northwest, the Chairman set a target for the group to reduce consumption by 20% during 2007. Around a dozen key action points were identified and undertaken to set policy, improve energy use and consumption, and involve staff at every level. Energy savings over two years equate to 184 full size hot air balloons filled with CO2 and £387,000 of annual savings.
Built Environment, with a spend of more than one million pounds category
WINNER - Cockermouth School by international building consultants to the built, natural and social environment, White Young Green
Using locally sourced and recycled materials, along with a range of renewable energy technologies. The stunning building provides flexible working space for both students and the wider community. The building is energy efficient and technologically advanced, combining ground source heat pumps, a wind turbine, photovoltaic cells, a green roof, energy efficient lighting and rainwater harvesting. The curvature of the main teaching space features ten cantilevering teaching pods that can be converted into a 250-seater conference room.
RUNNER UP - Manchester-based architects Denton Corker Marshall for Manchester’s Civil Justice Centre
Denton Corker Marshall have created the biggest court complex to be built in the UK since the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, London back in 1892 with 47 courtrooms, 75 consultation rooms and office space spread over 15 levels. Sustainability was a major consideration from the start with natural light, ventilation, solar shading and groundwater cooling. These new measures will reduce CO2 emissions by 505 tonnes per year and energy consumption by 30% – savings of around £20 million over 25 years.
Built Environment, with a spend of under one million pounds category
WINNER - Lorton-based eco-holiday cottages, Southwaite Green
Based on Southwaite Green’ owner’s, Marna McMillin’s sustainable principles, the existing farmhouse and barn accommodation has been transformed into 5-star quality holiday accommodation with strong environmental credentials. The developments range from making use of the sun on south facing walls and maximising insulation to reusing materials to minimise waste going to landfill, generating energy on site for heating and water and using high efficiency, low maintenance technologies. The gardens and grounds are designed to encourage wildlife and maximise biodiversity and native trees have been planted, a wetland created and an organic fruit garden is being developed.
RUNNER UP - Manchester-based architects Walker Simpson Architects for St Brigid’s School, East Manchester
A novel design solution by Walker Simpson Architects has transformed shipping containers and defective aluminium road planks into a modern frontage for St. Brigid’s School in East Manchester. The aim was to use only salvaged materials and extensive research was carried out into how shipping containers could provide a structurally efficient solution. The result was a low cost but visually stunning, sustainable design solution. What’s more, the road track supplier is now diversifying their own business to include the use of defective planks as cladding.
Environmental Innovation category
WINNER - Salford-based recycled polymers manufacturers, Axion Polymers
Perhaps the only company in the UK producing 100% recycled polymers from waste electrical and electronic equipment. Axion has managed to close the recycling loop by returning 100% recycled polymers back to the market as a high quality end product. Axion’s innovative system uses 14 individual sorting and separation stages that can handle dirty, mixed waste streams from shredded electrical equipment and upgrade the material into an extremely high grade polymer - Axpoly®.
RUNNER UP - Nelson-based manufacturer of cleaning and surface preparation equipment, Doris Systems Global Ltd
The Doris system was created by Ray Britner, a tree feller turned inventor, to eliminate the many health and safety issues of the old type pressure systems, while offering a high level of environmental compliance. The new pressure system is fitted with a water injector to eliminate dust cloud, uses recycled crushed glass as an abrasive and is also 75% quieter. The extremely lightweight design makes it easily portable and yet it uses up to 20 gallons less fuel a day.
Sustainable Procurement (private sector) category
WINNER - Heywood-based designers and manufacturers of water and wastewater treatment work, Biwater Treatment Limited
The company’s commitment to environmental improvement has led to a policy of purchasing and reusing recycled construction materials. Excavated materials are reused onsite for landscaping, rather than being disposed of in landfill, and Biwater has teamed up with a local company providing kerbs made from recycled plastic. This reduces the need to manufacture energy intensive concrete and also has health and safety benefits for employees. On one site alone, £10,000 was saved through using recycled aggregates rather than quarried materials.
RUNNER UP - Manchester-based Sustainable Events Ltd
Created in 2007 by Fiona Pelham and Becky Toal, Sustainable Events Limited provides an online tool for event planners to incorporate sustainability factors into the planning and running of an event.
www.eventsustainbility.co.uk allows event managers to email sustainability questions to third parties and compile an online Sustainability Summary Report. This report creates a measure of the carbon footprint of the event covering mileages, utility consumption, marketing and communication procedures, general office procedures and exhibition production. The site also provides other sources of free advice. The sale of this service creates a 10% donation to a not-for-profit organisation called Positive Impact that works to educate managers about the key issues of sustainability.
Sustainable Procurement (public sector) category
WINNER - Stockport Council
Stockport Council’s social enterprise company and registered charity, Pure Innovations Ltd provides essential services to the council as well as quality employment and work placements for local people who have been excluded from the job market. Pure’s key areas of activity cover day services (volunteering; care and leisure), catering services (including training in customer care, health and safety and food hygiene), employment services (focused on long-term unemployed and socially disadvantaged) and additional services such as the Pure Radio station.
RUNNER UP - Merseytravel - co-ordinates public transport throughout the borough of Merseyside.
Merseytravel produces well over 1.5 million printed documents each year, so a change in the paper and inks the organisation uses has had a huge environmental impact. Creating a centralised in-house print procurement service has established a corporate standard and a method for controlling standards and making cost savings. The new paper stock is certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council and is 75% recycled fibre of which 55% is post-consumer waste. What’s more, the inks are vegetable-based, reducing printroom staff exposure to volatile organic compounds.
Media Champions category
WINNER - Westmorland Gazette
RUNNER UP - Bollington-based freelance writer, Louise Tickle
Environmental Leadership Champion category
WINNER - Joe Dwek, industrialist and businessman
Through his national advice to government and his many regional leadership roles no other business leader has achieved more than Joes in mainstreaming the environment as a massive opportunity for business.
His championship of the Mersey Basin Campaign, Envirolink Northwest and ENWORKS made an enormous contribution to their success. His very committed membership of the board of the Northwest Regional Development Agency and leadership of its environment sub-committee has ensured that business and the environment has been a priority. He energetically stimulates and provokes debate, new thinking and action. He continues to be a powerful advocate of the green industrial revolution in the interest of the Northwest region, its environment, its businesses and its people.