Festival Place pips competitors to the post to win its 10th international Green Apple Award

Its passionate support for both the environment and the local community has seen Festival Place pick up a TENTH international Green Apple Award.

Festival Place scooped the Environmental Best Practice Award for its trial to reduce energy consumption using its 16 air handling units (AHUs), which control the supply of fresh and warm air to the shopping centre.

By limiting the running of the AHUs during winter, when they use gas burners, and turning them off altogether when the mall has reached the required temperature, energy usage is reduced.

As part of its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) programme, Festival Place has also contributed to the wellbeing of its local community by creating a Giving Garden outside the centre.

An unloved patch of ground was transformed into a space where local people can connect with plants to support their mental health – and the fauna planted was selected to be beneficial to bees and insects.

The Green Apple Awards recognise environmental best practice around the world, and this is the 10^th time that Festival Place has won.

One of the first shopping centres in the UK to install low-flush toilets, Festival Place uses the environmentally friendly loos to save water, save money, reduce carbon emissions and improve hygiene for visitors.

Head of Operations Gary Cooper said: “It is fantastic recognition for Festival Place to achieve its10th Green Apple award and this demonstrates all the hard work that the whole team have done within the business to drive our environmental, social, and community goals."

Festival Place will receive the Green Apple award at a ceremony at the Houses of Parliament in November.