Leaders, a Leaders Romans Group company, launched its first sustainable branch in Kemptown, Brighton, following a complete refurbishment as part of the group’s target to achieve net zero by 2030.
In Sept 2022, the new sustainable branch powered by 100% renewable energy opened its doors to the public. Residents and business owners were welcomed to visit the official opening where attendees got a first look at the new and improved branch, learnt about the green agenda with staff and got advice on eco-home improvements.
Brighton was chosen for the first-of-its-kind branch due to its own eco status and history with the company. Brighton is the most eco-friendly city in the UK, according to Garden of Life, with the UK’s only MP from the Green Party and UNESCO having chosen the Brighton & Lewes Downs Biosphere as a place of biodiversity and quality of the environment. In addition, Brighton was the site of the first-ever Leaders branch in 1983, making it the ideal location to set out the blueprint of branches to come in the future of Leaders and the wider group.
A prominent feature of the plan was that every element of the office was made in the UK, or ideally local to Brighton to limit transport emissions and support local green suppliers. Throughout the office there is a host of features that work in unison to make this the most sustainable model possible, for example:
- 100% green energy – The branch is completely powered by renewable energy
- 20% reduction in electricity – The average retail unit of its size uses 37,000 kWh of electricity a year, equal to 7.85 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. A 20% reduction in electricity will lead to a corresponding drop in emissions from the sustainable branch
- 100% FSC-certified wood – Doors, skirtings, partitions, and countertops are sourced from locally produced FSC-certified wood.
- 100% recycled or reused – All furniture in the branch is made from recycled or upcycled materials and will be recycled or upcycled at the end of its lifecycle.
- Closed-loop chairs – Office chairs are made from 100% recycled fabric in a closed-loop content production process, with 25% of the raw material derived from the brand’s own recycled waste streams
- Low energy solutions. e.g., The branch introduced timed lighting, air con and heating so that electricity is not wasted when not in use. Solar film lines the high-street facing windows to reflect heat out the branch and lowers the need for electricity.
- Low-flow kitchen taps – Key to a sustainable kitchen and saving about 30 – 50% on water consumption
- Circular carpet – Carpet in the new branch is not only made from 65% post-industrial recycled content, but the supplier will repurpose and recycle the finished item when it reaches the end of life.
Gary Copleston, Branch Manager at Leaders, comments: “I personally know how important making sustainable choices is to my clients in Brighton, so we’re excited to be opening the first sustainable branch in Brighton as this is an opportunity to not only reduce our carbon emissions but to also highlight our commitment to sustainability. It is time for the property sector to embrace the next big challenge and step up to help turn the industry green.”
For more information, please visit www.lrg.co.uk.
