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White Light goes greener with increased environmental endeavours

Friday, February 21, 2020 - 11:45

As an industry-leading technical solutions specialist, White Light (WL) is always considering the environmental impact of its work and the ways in which the company can become increasingly more sustainable in its operation. WL proudly owns one of Europe’s largest equipment inventories and is fully committed to investing in green technologies and minimising waste by maximising the lifetime of every piece of kit.

Recently, they engaged the services of environmental management consultants Green Element and WL’s Facilities Manager, along with their dedicated Green Team, have been working in close collaboration with them. Research and auditing measures have been undertaken, both in-house and onsite across the numerous locations WL works in and as a result, a range of improvements have now been implemented. As they move ever closer towards achieving the ISO 14001 accreditation, here are a few of the latest sustainability endeavours they have undertaken:

Knowledge is power: WL’s Green Team recently visited their local waste management facility, to discover exactly how their painstaking processes work. All mixed recycling and general waste from WL HQ are taken to this facility in Wimbledon, where staff work tirelessly ensuring that every different type of material is appropriately segregated. The team learnt that general waste is shredded before being incinerated, in turn creating energy for the National Grid. And paper, which is divided into several categories, travels to mills for recycling and can be recycled 7 times before its fibres become too weak. This hugely insightful visit has helped WL to adapt and improve their waste management policy and educate their staff about the vital importance of careful disposal.

EU Eco design: WL is an active supporter of this initiative. They believe that the legislation governing eco-design is an effective tool for improving the energy efficiency of products. It helps eliminate the least performing products from the market, significantly contributing to the EU’s 2020 target for energy efficiency. It also supports industrial competition and innovation by promoting improved environmental performance of products throughout the internal market. For some time now, WL has been working with PLASA, The ALD and other industry bodies to ensure that this legislation remains relevant for the whole sector.

LED for life: as a company that invests heavily in equipment stock every year, WL is conscious of buying green wherever possible. LEDs consume less energy than their predecessor solutions and therefore produce less carbon emissions. This does not compromise on their efficiency and as they do not contain any toxic chemicals such as mercury, they are long lasting and can be recycled when required. WL’s commitment to LED technology has already helped to significantly reduce power consumption in some of the venues they operate in. For example, at Central Hall Westminster, a repeat Chinese New Year event consumed 34% less energy in 2020 compared to 2019.

Meticulous data monitoring: WL has a state-of-the-art environmental management system, which they utilise to monitor their energy use. They set goals and targets to reduce levels of consumption year on year.

Follow the Green Guide: 10 years ago, WL wrote a Green Guide for their teams to adhere to, ensuring the application of sustainable design principles in all they do. Each section of the guide has been carefully curated with the help of environmental specialists and is followed by WL personnel on every project. While its contents remain very relevant, it is currently being updated to reflect more recent advances in modern technology.

Sarah Pearl, Sustainability consultant at Green Element, said, “White Light invited us in and we were amazed at all the fantastic work they were already doing environmentally. They had buy-in from their MD, which made our work incredibly easy. All that was needed was for Green Element to professionalise White Light’s sustainability agenda, helping them to achieve their well-deserved ISO 14001 certification.”