Energy Conservation
Introduction/Background
Tees Valley Leisure Limited (TVLL) views its environmental responsibility as an integral part of its operations and aims to help ensure quality of life for those users of its leisure facilities by delivering services in a way that helps respect the earth's natural systems and contributing, in turn, to the achievement of sustainable development.
A measure of this business stance was the development of an environmental management strategy to assist in managing environmental issues. Implicit in this strategy is a commitment to the tackling of climate change and the achievement of sustainable development.
The overall aim of the strategy is to ensure that activities are managed effectively so that the associated environmental impacts are minimised and also to ensure that activities undertaken comply with, or exceed, relevant statutory requirements.
In order to facilitate the achievement of this aim, senior management made a commitment to develop and implement an Environmental Management System conforming to the requirements of ISO 14001:2004.
In April 2005, the Environmental Management System was accredited to ISO 14001:2004 by Ocean Certification, a Certification Body, accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). In so doing, TVLL became the first private sector operator of leisure centres in the country to achieve this internationally recognised standard.
TVLL has continued to improve its environmental performance to help reduce its environmental impacts and this was recognised in April of this year by the re-certification of its environmental management system to the ISO 14001:2004 standard.
Paddy Corcoran, Managing Director of TVLL comments "We are delighted with the re-certification of our environmental management system. This is a reflection of the dedication of our staff, together with our commitment to the environment and is consistent with our long term objective of being a vibrant sustainable business."
Ian Donley, Assistant Managing Director of TVLL commented "Our continued certification to ISO 14001:2004 is extremely important because in addition to delivering environmental environmental benefits, it will facilitate the achievement of financial savings, improve the provision of services and enhance the image of TVLL, making this a "win-win" situation."
Energy Management
Leisure Centres use large quantities of electricity and gas. TVLL has established an Energy Conservation Programme to reduce electricity and gas use to a minimum. The principal activities within this programme are:
- ensuring that optimum tariffs for energy are selected
- monitoring and targeting of electricity and gas consumption
- setting realistic reduction targets individually and collectively for the Centres
- undertaking regular energy surveys of the Centres, including plant equipment and services
- undertaking energy efficiency improvements relating to both use of equipment and operational procedures, including optimisation of the Building Management System (BMS) and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Systems, as part of a long term programme to reduce the carbon footprint of TVLL
- evaluating the savings of specific projects, where possible, for inclusion in reports
- raising the profile of energy efficiency throughout the Centres including the training of staff and the running of awareness campaigns, including the development of an Energy Awareness Leaflet
- complying with all UK and EU Legislation, Codes of Practice, Building Regulations and best practice in relation to energy efficiency
- reporting into the annual ISO 14001:2004 Management Review Meetings
Solid Waste and Water Management
Leisure Centres produce significant quantities of solid waste of various types. They also consume considerable volumes of water and produce significant volumes of wastewater. In response to this, TVLL has developed Waste Minimisation Programmes which address the use of water and the production of waste.
In adopting waste minimisation techniques, the principles of the following hierarchy are considered:
- Eliminate the waste
- Reduce the waste
- Reuse the waste
- Recycle the waste
- Dispose of the waste
Activities within these programmes include:
- adopting a "life cycle" approach regarding the procurement, use and disposal of raw materials and products
- establishing a structure and identifying responsibilities for achieving waste minimisation targets
- establishingeffective monitoring of efforts to minimise waste in terms of quantity, toxicity and disposal costs
- setting realistic waste minimisation targets individually and collectively for the Centres
- identification of waste minimisation opportunities both in general and in the light of changes in legislation and relevant advances in technology and products
- introducing facilities to recycle paper, cardboard, plastic and tin cans, where appropriate, at the Centres
- raising the profile of waste minimisation and resource efficiency throughout the Centres, including the training of staff, undertaking awareness campaigns and the development of a Waste Awareness Leaflet
- complying with all UK and EU Legislation, Codes of Practice and Best Practice in relation to waste management
- reporting into the annual ISO 14001:2004 Management Review Meetings
An Environmental Working Group, with representation from relevant levels of TVLL, meets bi-monthly to discuss environmental management activities and help facilitate continuous improvement within the EMS. In addition to driving forward environmental improvements, an important activity of this group is identifying the means by which energy efficiency, water use and waste minimisation successes are communicated to staff and the community.
TVLL's Centres serve the local community and as such, members of the community are major stakeholders in the environmental performance of the Centres. In order to assist in establishing and developing a partnership with the community, TVLL are developing a Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda to assist in involving community residents, through environmental related activities, in the development of the Centres.
Recycling
A recycling initiative has commenced that involves the recycling of:
- Non-confidential paper
- Plastic
- Cans
- Tins
Initially this will be trialed at Saltburn Leisure Centre as part of TVLL waste minimisation activities.
