The Guardian - December 2008
REALM achieve ISO14001
REALM, a specialist asset manager and developer of retail property,
have good reason to celebrate this autumn. They have recently achieved
accredited certification to ISO14001:2004 for their entire managed retail
portfolio. In addition they have also been recognised by their client,
Hermes Real Estate as their Best Retail Property Manager, with Junction
32 Outlet Village also winning the Best Retail Property Award at the
recent Hermes Responsible Property Investors Awards.
REALM truly embraces effective environmental management and this has
been reflected in achieving ISO14001 within seven months. The format
for REALM's ISO14001 achievement was centred on site specific environmental
impact assessments (undertaken by S2). These assessments
recognised many environmental initiatives taking place on site including
solar thermal hot water for public toilets, grey water harvesting and
timer switches to lighting in public toilets. Other environmental initiatives
included establishing effective emergency response plans, pollution
prevention plans, and reducing contractor activities that negatively
impact on local fauna and flora.
This approach to environmental management has enabled REALM to establish
site specific action plans which are linked to their corporate aspiration
of continuous environmental improvement, focused on sustainability and
the protection of the local environment. REALM's site management and
head office must be applauded for their visionary development of a culture
that embraces environmental sustainability into the management of their
retail portfolio.
"REALM continues to go from strength to strength, implementing
a host of new initiatives, and achieving significant performance improvements:
- Over the past twelve months, the portfolio has cut its energy
consumption by 5%, water by 12% and maintained recycling rates over
50%.
- REALM is now ISO14001 certified, and have achieved compliance
for all the Hermes shopping centres."
Hermes Real Estate - The RPI Messenger Autumn 2008
S2 congratulates Steve Blades and the REALM Team!
The S2 Partnership - Environmental Management System
The S2 Partnership developed the Environmental Management
System (EMS) model, which REALM implemented for their successful accreditation.
The S2 EMS consists of individual tailored policies and procedures
combined with site specific environmental impact assessments (EIAs).
These assessments identify legal compliance, environmental objectives
and cost saving sustainability opportunities.
An S2 Partnership Environmental Management System will:
- Establish corporate commitment to sustainability and the environment
- Define environmental objectives and targets with the aim of continuous improvement
- Establish controls for business activities that have a detrimental impact on the environment
- Establish emergency responses to fire, flooding, chemical spillages and any other emergency which impacts on the environment
- Establish levels of competency including statutory provisions
- Generate annual auditing and performance reviews to establish ongoing objectives and targets
Benefits of an S2 Partnership Environmental Management System are:
- Improved corporate social responsibility, enhanced corporate image and compliance with legislation
- Reduced energy bills through the effective management of energy usage
- Reduced water consumption, saving on both clean water costs and the reciprocal waste water bill
- Reduced purchasing costs through the elimination of waste and reducing the use of consumables
- Reduced waste disposal costs through re-use and recycling strategies
An EMS is only one way in which S2 provides improved practical
environmental sustainability - we also offer:
- Environmental impact assessments (EIAs)
- Energy performance certificates (EPCs)
- Energy management assessments
- Waste management assessments
- Phase 1 contaminated land surveys
- Site drainage plans
- Gas, water and air monitoring and analysis
- Oil storage surveys - PPG2
For more information of the environmental services that S2
provide, please contact Lorraine Harrison on 01954
267788 or e-mail lorraine.harrison@s2partnership.co.uk
or Mike Ketley on 07912 089176 or e-mail mike.ketley@s2partnership.co.uk
Polar Explorer Pen Hadow Sets Date For Ground-Breaking Scientific Survey of Arctic Sea Ice
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Sledge Hauling
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Leading polar explorer Pen Hadow has confirmed the go-ahead for his
major scientific expedition to measure the thickness of the remaining
permanent Arctic Ocean sea ice.
Pen had originally intended to set off in February 2008 but his departure
date was delayed to complete additional technical and scientific work
to ensure the project will deliver the most comprehensive range of observations
and value to the scientific community.
This pioneering survey, which starts in February 2009, is a collaboration
with leading scientists, including University of Cambridge and NASA
to help them more accurately assess the state of the rapidly receding
Arctic sea ice in a fragile region already affected by climate change.
Current estimates as to how long ice will be a year-round feature around
the North Pole vary considerably, with scientific predictions ranging
between five and 100 years. More accurate data, measured at the surface
itself, is essential if scientists and decision-makers are to fully
anticipate the potentially devastating impacts of near total sea ice
loss each summer.
The project, known as the Catlin Arctic Survey, has amassed substantial
financial backing for the £3m survey despite the gloom currently surrounding
the world economy and has secured support from UNEP (United Nations
Environment Programme), WWF International and the Royal patronage of
HRH The Prince of Wales.
On completion of the scientific project, the findings will be made
available to inform international decision-makers gathering at the United
Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties, at Copenhagen, in 2009.
The team of three highly-experienced explorers - Ann Daniels and Martin
Hartley as well as Pen Hadow - will be travelling from mid-February
to late-May, taking millions of readings of the thickness of the floating
ice over a 1200 kilometres (750 miles) route. They will be pulling sledges
and swimming between ice-floes from their start-point 470 miles offshore
of northern Canada to the North Geographic Pole in temperatures from
0°C to -50°C.
Pen said: "Our physical efforts hauling the equipment over the
surface will amass data in unprecedented detail. I have come to recognise
by working with our scientific partners that the Arctic Ocean is not
only an astonishingly beautiful place but a globally unique environment
of immense significance to the balance of the Earth's whole eco-system."
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| Ice coring |
Data Uplink System |
The survey programme which the team will undertake during their trek
will include:
- 10 million surface measurements of the sea ice using a specially-built
radar;
- Measurements of the water column under the sea ice and density measurements
of the snow and ice;
- Taking samples of the water, snow, ice and air;
- Supplementary measurements of the thickness and density of both
the ice and overlying snow layers by manually drilling through the
sea ice.
In advance of their departure, the team has begun a rigorous physical
and psychological training programme that includes exercise sessions
in a -50 degrees centigrade climate chamber, recreating Arctic conditions.
Pen, who was the first, and only, person to ever trek solo and unsupported
by aircraft from Canada to the North Pole, said: "Experienced explorers
are the only people who have the expertise to undertake a survey of
this magnitude and help science in this way."
The S2 Partnership recognises its responsibility towards
the environment and provides advice and assistance to our clients to
help secure environmental improvements through practical solutions.
We believe our commitment to the Catlin Arctic Survey will raise awareness
of global environmental issues within our client base in the commercial
property sector. It also reinforces our own ISO 14001 policy to operate
our business in an environmentally responsible way.
New Recruits
The S2 Partnership is pleased to welcome back Jonathan Richards
after a sabbatical abroad. Jonathan will join our Health & Safety
team and will work in and around the Bristol area.
We are also pleased to announce the appointment of Theo Smith who joins
us as a Trainee Environmental Surveyor. Theo will be assisting our Senior
Asbestos Consultant, Ab Woolass in and around the Birmingham area.