Derbion secures BREEAM In-Use Outstanding Certification

Derbion is proud to announce that it has become one of a few UK retail destinations to secure a BREEAM In-Use Outstanding-rating in the management of an asset, reflecting the shopping centre’s commitment to carbon and energy reduction, health and wellbeing, transport and broader sustainability.

BREEAM In-Use is the internationally recognised green building certification for operational property and is widely adopted across the real estate sector. The assessment is split into two parts which can be assessed in isolation or combined to achieve a rating and certificate. Part 1 assesses the performance of the asset’s-built form, construction, fixtures and installed services. Meanwhile, Part 2 concentrates on the management of the asset, including consumption, policies and targets.

Working alongside Savills and specialist sustainability consultants Mearlag, the centre has secured an Outstanding certification for Part 2 (Management Performance) and an Excellent rating for Part 1 (Asset Performance). Derbion secured its highest scores in management, health and wellbeing, energy, resources and water use.

These results have followed a series of carbon and energy reduction investments including the installation of LED lighting across the centre, the conversion of a gas-fired water heater to a heat pump, whilst also undertaking several operational changes to reduce energy use, such as negating the need for cooling in the summer by using the natural ventilation stacks of the centre mall area.

These initiatives have resulted in a 30 percent saving in energy over two years of 1.4 million in Kilowatts of energy a year, the equivalent of having 4,300 domestic dishwashers on constantly for a year, or enough charge to drive a Tesla 208 times around the world.

Alongside the carbon and energy reductions, Derbion has invested in management, health and wellbeing and community initiatives as it continues to drive change by making the retail destination and its surrounding community welcoming for all.

This has included initiatives such as Derbion Cares which supports local charities through regular fundraising events throughout the year. Meanwhile, the BREEAM In-Use certification also recognises Derbion’s efforts to enhance employee welfare alongside the extensive programme of community engagement work. This has included initiative such as a Donation Station with Derby Food4Thought Alliance, as well as 125 hours of volunteering by Derbion staff for local community groups and charities.

BREEAM In-Use Product Manager Alex Markides said: “As more UK retail destinations strive to improve their sustainability credentials, it gives us great pleasure to award Derbion with a BREEAM In-Use Outstanding rating for Part 2, which focuses on how the building is managed. In doing so, it becomes one of only a few retail destinations in the country to hold this certification, and we hope their achievement will act as a driver and example for others pushing to achieve this milestone.”

The BREEAM In-Use certification comes as Derbion aims to become Net Zero by 2030 for its Scope 1 and 2 emissions from energy under its control. To help support this the centre is reviewing the installation of solar panels on its roof so it can generate its own electricity, working with Severn Trent and its occupiers to identify water saving opportunities, and operating a secure Cycle Hub to encourage green travel alongside an offer of a Cycle2Work scheme for Derbion employees.

Beth McDonald, Managing Director at Derbion said: “We are so pleased to become one of the few UK shopping centre’s to have BREEAM In-Use Outstanding and Excellent certifications. The awards highlight all the hard work our team have undertaken over the past two years as we strive to become Net Zero by 2030. The BREEAM In-Use Certifications are one of the first steps on that journey, and we look forward to working closely with our partners at Savills and Mearlag to identify new ways to make Derbion one of the most sustainability-friendly shopping centres in the UK, which not only help our own ESG targets, but also those of our occupiers and the wider Derby community.”

Stuart M Laidlaw BSc CEng FCIBSE, at Mearlag, said: “It has been a pleasure working with the team at Derbion and Savills, alongside occupiers, to showcase Derbion as best-in-class for sustainability in shopping centres. It has been a great example of team effort and a commitment to succeed well. There is more work to do with exciting projects planned to make Derbion even more sustainable and operationally efficient. Mearlag is proud to help facilitate and achieve this worthy success. Working closely with Savills has proven to be essential, matching that with the shopping centre knowledge and experience of Mearlag, is a result for all to be proud of. 

Brad Johnson, Director and Sustainability Consultant at Savills, added: “The last few years have seen a considerable increase in the uptake of green building certifications across UK shopping centres as landlords aim to understand how assets perform from a sustainability point of view. Green building certifications such as BREEAM In-Use provide an internationally recognised and independent framework to assess the performance and credentials of schemes. We are pleased to have worked alongside the Derbion team and partners to deliver a best-in-class result in achieving the ‘Outstanding’ rating against the BREEAM In-Use certification framework. We look forward to continuing to push the centre forward to maintain and enhance this position.”