A round-up of the latest business news, including Starbucks, Panasonic and Schneider Electric.
Almost all Starbucks company-owned stores in Europe are now powered by renewable sources. More than 550 outlets in the UK, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands source their energy from renewable sources, with stores in Austria soon to follow. The coffee retailer said it had identified energy suppliers that could offer renewable energy tariffs. The power that lights, heats, cools and runs equipment in the stores is matched against these contracts.
Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company has set seven new sustainability targets for 2020 aimed at minimising its environmental footprint and improving production efficiency, and supporting developing communities. They include: purchasing 40% of the energy it uses from renewable and clean energy sources; investing 2% of annual pre-tax profits in communities; and recovering for recycling on average 40% of packaging placed on its markets. The company operates in 28 countries, including most of eastern Europe.
Electronics company Panasonic and energy management firm Schneider Electric have announced a partnership to help improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings. The two firms have developed a wireless solution that enables direct communication between Schneider Electric’s building management system and room controllers and Panasonic’s heating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. It allows owners to view their core building systems including HVAC, lighting, security, power and electrical distribution anytime, anywhere using a single interface and delivers insights into what action can be taken to reduce energy consumption and drive savings.
The company transforming Battersea Power Station has announced that around 180,000 tonnes of material from the site’s main energy building will be removed by barge over the next ten months. Battersea Power Station Development Company and contractor Skanska said taking the material by river to sites in Essex, where it will be recycled or reused at nature reserves, would save more than 16,000 lorry journeys.
