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Waitrose Wimborne was built using a low-carbon, modular design that minimised its carbon footprint, and is trialling our first fully integrated photovoltaic roof, which will produce 1% of its energy needs.


We have successfully trialled the installation of sun tubes at Waitrose Altrincham to utilise more natural light, and intend to extend this solution to other new shops.


From sustainable construction to responsible development

The change in terminology reflects:

• a shift of emphasis towards a whole-life approach to buildings, including acquisition, design, build, fit-out, operations and maintenance
• our joint responsibility to design sites intelligently, build them responsibly and operate them efficiently
• the need to communicate our Partners’ responsibilities and embed them into our everyday behaviour
• our work with local communities to make our buildings an integral and valued part of community life.


MORE INFORMATION

In this report:

Biodiversity at Leckford
Our communities

On www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk:

Responsible Development Framework


RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT

We have always been conscientious about the sourcing of our materials, designing efficient and resilient buildings, and respecting the needs of our local communities. Since 2007, we have made a conscious effort to use more recycled materials, recycle more construction waste, improve shop energy efficiency and explore new sources of renewable energy for all new builds, extensions and major refurbishments.

A new guiding framework

We launched a new Responsible Development Framework to our construction supply chain in February 2010, and promoted it to all Partners. Using clear, accessible language to ‘demystify’ some of the theory, it builds on our previous Sustainable Construction Framework but now includes targets and guidance for the development, refurbishment and extension of our retail shops, offices and warehouses. The objectives and targets will be driven by the project manager on every development project and the outputs and measures now form an integral part of each project’s management review process. New commitments include aims to use 100% timber from certified sustainable sources in the construction process and to reduce the volume of waste generated to a maximum of 6.5 tonnes per 100m2 gross internal floor area. We have also committed to explain to all new Partners, at the time of store handover, how their shop has been designed to minimise its impact on the environment and how they can help. In addition, our Retail Design departments have developed sustainable shopfit design criteria, which will prompt our teams to design fixtures with simplicity, deconstruction and low-impact material use in mind.

Putting the theory into practice

Our efforts during the development of John Lewis at home in Croydon and Waitrose Wellington are just two examples of the progress we are already making. For the latter, our construction team earned a Bronze Award from the Considerate Constructors Scheme – after being assessed for site cleanliness, consideration to the surrounding community, being a good neighbour, providing excellent site facilities, the professionalism of site operatives and on-site safety.

The construction site for the John Lewis at home store in Croydon separates and recycles all its paper and cardboard, as well as canteen and office waste, metal, gypsum and lighting fixtures. Plastics and timber are chipped and reused, food waste provides electricity, heat and a high-nutrient fertiliser through anaerobic digestion and rainwater is harvested for irrigation.

Meanwhile, our efforts at Waitrose Wimborne reinforce the importance of working together with our communities and the benefits this can have on local biodiversity. As part of the development of the site, a bankside maintenance and management plan for the adjacent River Allen has been set out to protect and enhance the local ecology. The plan, which spans tree surgery, weeding, litter collection and the installation of bird and bat boxes, is based on a report produced in conjunction with Ecology Solutions, and guidance received from the Environment Agency and Dorset Wildlife Trust.

Future focus

During 2010, we have measured and assessed significant amounts of data from our build projects in several key areas, such as carbon emissions, sustainable energy, working considerately, waste generated and waste recycled. This will help us to benchmark and report on our performance, prioritise issues, and set more stretching targets for 2011 and beyond.

One of the next key challenges the Partnership will work through is the development of a whole-life costing process for building design and the feasibility of embedding this into investment appraisal processes.