DDi - September 2011 - (Page 16)

16 | Greentailing Designing for waste aste is a priority. So why is it so often overlooked in design? We are missing a design opportunity for effective waste management. I can walk the sales floor of any retailer or restaurant today, and this is what I’ll more than likely find: • Cashwraps without integrated waste stream separation bins. • Waste and recycling receptacles that are inconvenient to the places where waste is produced. • Non-branded modular customer waste stations, lacking the capacity and the signage needed to educate customers on the separation process. • Stockrooms with little to no space designated for separating waste streams for recycling or reuse. • Landlords providing tenants with waste and recycling dumpsters hundreds of feet away from stockroom doors. With these impractical layouts and space challenges, it is no surprise that retailers are having a very difficult time implementing solutions at the store level. Simply put, retail operations teams have inherited spaces that were not planned for increasing levels of packaging waste and recycling practices. As designers of the built retail environment, there is no better time to evaluate your role and the opportunities in the often-ambiguous topic of waste stream integration and education. According to a May 2011 waste management/recycling study by the Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM.com), 45 percent of national retailers said waste/recycling solutions are currently a top priority, with another 25 percent reporting that recycling will be a focused program within the next one to two years. The drivers for this are multifaceted, but it essentially comes down to cost and opportunity. For example, Supervalu— the owner of Albertsons, Jewel-Osco and other supermarket brands—saw its recycling revenues exceed landfill waste expenses for the first time in fiscal year 2011, according to the company’s corporate social responsibility report. The exciting part for the design professional is that there is no single solution, and it presents a unique opportunity to transform an operational necessity into an inspired—yet practical—design element. This is where your innovation and creativity can lead the way. W By no means am I suggesting a demise of brand attributes or the removal of critical brand components with the installation of waste receptacles throughout the store experience. I’m merely suggesting that teams begin to think about what is being produced where, from what and where it needs to go to ensure a second life—and do this within the context of the brand’s core values. I will, however, emphasize that the general public has a growing acceptance of recycling and waste reduction. Creative solutions not only present an incredible opportunity to help your facility maintenance team achieve their goals, but by integrating your sustainability commitment into your design, you will present a clear message to customers and employees that your brand recognizes its environmental footprint and has implemented plans to respect it. Most of what retailers throw away is recyclable—in many cases, as much as 99 percent. Where, then, is the opportunity for change? —Justin Doak is the founder of Ecoxera – Green Business Strategy for Retail. Send green retail questions to justindoak@ecoxera.com. www.ddionline.com | September 2011 Number 12 at www.ddionline.com/readerservice Waste is generated with nearly every activity inside the retail experience, and it is time to rethink the way it is managed. For many of us, the easiest place to start exploring solutions is in new store design, but retailers will not be rewarded with recycling revenues or meet portfolio reduction goals with the sole participation of new stores. The real benefits emerge when applying in-store waste management solutions to the existing portfolio. That said, existing stores slated for upgrades present the best opportunity to integrate waste management solutions through space and fixture design, storage systems, transport devices, cashwrap upgrades, stockroom planning and so on. Before planning begins, here are a few strategic considerations: • Request a store-level waste audit, so that you fully understand what is produced, and in what volume. • Map out the waste streams, both front- and back-of-house. • Determine what is reusable and/or recyclable at the specific location and/ or within the center. Consider starting a recycling program for the top three to five generated streams as LEED for Retail requires. (Reevaluate this every year.) • Establish appropriately sized collection bins that are conveniently located at the source of the various waste and recycling streams. Tip: do not place designated waste bins in areas where recyclable streams are produced. • Designate a small staging area where different waste streams can be held until they can be moved to the appropriate bins provided outside or within the landlord’s center. • Pilot proposed solutions and evaluate results. • Price out best-suited solutions and fold into any planned store upgrades/retrofits. Taking the time to incorporate practical waste-management design solutions into the store environment sets retailers up for operational success time. And, while not every shopping center or region provides the means to recycle at this point, it is inevitable. Putting the infrastructure in place now will help you maximize recycling opportunities in the future. I know that waste management isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to be ugly. We have to work together, and it’s never been clearer that the design community is a critical collaborator in our sustainability efforts. http://www.PRSM.com http://www.ddionline.com/readerservice http://www.ddionline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - September 2011

DDi - September 2011
Table of Contents
From the Editor
From the Show Director
Newsworthy
Shopper Insights
Greentailing
Editor’s Choice
Portfolio Awards 2011
Retail Design Luminaries
Retail Design Influencers
Design Firms of the Year
Best Visual Merchandising Programs
Retailer of the Year
Best-Designed Stores of the Year
Retail Standouts
Calendar
Advertisers
Think Tank

DDi - September 2011