The Boulevard in Banbridge is leading the retail pack with its plan to champion nature and sustainability at the outlet village.
Its forward thinking managers have already installed wildflower areas, a bug hotel and commissioned Sustainability NI to audit their operations.
But they wanted to see what more they can do to help the birds and other wildlife living around the designer stores. Now they have teamed up with Ulster Wildlife - their chosen charity this year - to learn what more they can for biodiversity.
Read more: Watch: 5 new integrated schools celebrate future with 'fun in the forest'
Facilities & Operations Manager, Andrew Hamilton, told Belfast Live: “I believe the future for every retailer is sustainability - we have to push on it.
“Chris [Nelmes - centre manager] and the guys are all really excited about it because there’s no one in Northern Ireland at the minute that’s championing this in this game.
“It’s new and exciting, especially for tenants coming in.”
Andrew said the Boulevard started their journey last year when they commissioned a Sustainability NI audit of their operations.
“I joined the company at the end of February and it was the first thing that was put on my desk,” he added. “We have a five year plan and this year is all about the environmental side of the plan.
“We are doing a lot on water [reduction] and waste issues and how we recover more recyclable material. None of our waste goes to landfill, which is great... but a very small portion is recycled because of the way it’s sorted and the way we dispose of our waste.
“We are now trying to do the sorting at our end... so it’s recycled a lot easier. Last year we generated over 350 tonnes of waste and we were closed for months.
“We want the stores to try and start reducing their packaging.”
Andrew says they also hope to work with tenants on water reduction, green energy and lowering carbon emissions.
They also plan to trial a grey water recovery system for watering plants and hope their partnership with Ulster Wildlife will help them improve biodiversity.
“We are really looking forward to working with Ulster Wildlife,” he added.
“I’ve earmarked a few bits just as you come in and am planning to have lovely wildflowers the whole way down.
“Our security team makes a note of all the animals they see on site to give us a rough idea.”
After the biodiversity audit, Andrew says they will get “a list of improving flowers and plants” that are better for pollinators and the environment than those that just look nice.
They also plan to make the tree-dotted area in the service yard a wild space and increase native planting while educating “that ‘yes, we haven’t cut the grass but we are generating flowers for the insects and the bees’.”
“We are going to turn the stone walls into living walls and want to be able to say for every meter of that how much C02 we are taking out.”
That means down the line, they will be working with shops to calculate a C02 baseline based on everything from how their staff get to work to the lighting, heating, packaging and hauliers they use.
The Boulevard’s Marketing Manager, Lesley Poots, said: “We want to encourage biodiversity and sustainability and post lock downs we have made a conscious effort to create a mall that encourages wildlife and showcases the beauty of nature.
“We are looking forward to working with the team at Ulster Wildlife to raise funds, increase awareness of the charity, and bring nature back to the area.”
Vickie Chambers, Fundraising & Communications Manager, at Ulster Wildlife says: “We’re delighted to be chosen as The Boulevard’s charity of the year and look forward to working together to raise much-need funds to boost nature’s recovery in Northern Ireland. “Sadly, nature here is in trouble here with 1 in 10 species at risk of extinction.
“But together, with help from businesses, like The Boulevard, and the public, we can all play our part to reverse this trend and bring nature back.”
READ NEXT:
Watch: Behind the scenes with Rathlin Islanders helping endangered puffins
NI environment bosses failing own targets at 40% of 'protected' sites
Majority of Belfast people want more segregated cycle lanes on roads
Record NI temperature marked in global WMO report on escalating climate crisis
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
