Moving Toward a 100% Carbon Neutral Shopping and Leisure Destination
Wednesday, 11th May 2016: Irish energy supplier Vayu Energy has signed a renewable electricity deal to supply Dundrum Town Centre with 100% green electricity. The agreement, which will meet Dundrum Town Centre’s year-round electricity requirements, will result in a substantial reduction in the centre’s carbon footprint, equivalent to saving approximately 80,000 trees per annum or taking 640 cars off the road each year.
Some 19 million people visit Dundrum Town Centre annually to shop, eat and to be entertained. Spanning more than 120,000 square meters, it is Ireland’s largest premier retail and leisure destination. The centre has over 160 tenants including luxury and high street stores, a 200-seat cinema complex, a 200-seat theatre, bars and over 40 restaurants and coffee shops as well as parking facilities for 3,400 cars.
The electricity deal with Vayu Energy allows Dundrum Town Centre to achieve cost savings by taking advantage of cheaper prices available in the wholesale electricity market. The deal comes at a time when wholesale electricity prices have fallen significantly over the last 12 months with prices down 35% year-on-year in April. As part of a fully managed service, Vayu Energy will provide the town centre scheme with a suite of procurement tools to purchase electricity at the best price available in the market supported by continuous market analysis and advice to minimise energy spend.
The ability to source fully traceable, 100% green energy was a critical consideration for Dundrum Town Centre, which puts environmental sustainability at the heart of its business. Other key environmental initiatives at Dundrum Town Centre include the recycling of over 75% of waste produced at the centre, compositing of all food waste and measures for reduced water consumption. In addition, the centre’s energy efficiency programme targets annual reductions in carbon emissions of 15% with a long term goal of being a carbon neutral town centre scheme.
Dundrum Town Centre Director, Don Nugent,says: “The deal means that the Centre’s carbon footprint is now zero in terms of the electricity it consumes. The long term goal is for Dundrum Town Centre to be a carbon-neutral scheme.”
“Environmental sustainability is very important for us as a company. We take our responsibilities very seriously when it comes to managing the resources we use. We’re delighted that this deal provides us with 100% renewable electricity, thereby helping to reduce our carbon footprint even further.”
Barry Murphy, energy specialist at Vayu said: “Ireland’s energy market is undergoing a fundamental change in the way businesses procure and manage their energy. Minimising energy costs and achieving greater efficiencies are becoming even greater considerations. This is having a direct impact on the way companies across Ireland source their energy, with an increasing trend among larger users to procure energy directly on the wholesale markets”
Mr Murphy noted that environmental considerations are playing a greater role when businesses purchase electricity – across both the private and public sectors. He states that access to renewable electricity is becoming a very important issue as companies look to minimise their carbon footprint and limit the environmental impact of their activities.