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Fresh water is becoming an increasingly scarce global resource, and this is especially problematic in Southern Europe. Therefore there is a growing need to conserve fresh water resources and preventing their pollution.
The property industry may contribute with pollution to these water sources pollution through its high consumption levels and water needs, and through paving of previously porous land surfaces causing surface water run-off and potential contamination. |
The construction process itself can induce water pollution incidents if hazardous materials are spilt on site and leach down to nearby water resources.
DEVELOPMENTWater use Water efficient designs, including equipment specifications and water recycling engineering solutions are covered within the
ESRD standards. Where feasible, we seek to design rainwater collection and grey water recycling systems to reduce the need for fresh water consumption. During the fit out process, we set requirements for water efficient sanitary equipments (such as sensor spray taps and low flush toilets). In our exterior areas and when landscape projects are defined, we specify efficient irrigation systems and minimize the plantation of plant species with high water demands.
Emissions to water During design, we are committed to incorporate solutions that reduce pollution on local water supplies. For instance, to prevent pollution from rainwater run-off we specify filter drains and porous paving, in external paved areas. Additionally, ESRD guaranty that equipments like oil and hydrocarbons separators are installed, minimizing pollution through pre-treatment of these effluents before being discharged in the municipal or natural systems.
During construction works, we also place demands upon our contractors to avoid the risk of water pollution from construction activities.
MANAGEMENT Water use We are committed to continue improving the water usage efficiency within our centres. This is achieved by water efficient appliances (e.g. low flush WC and sensor taps) that are installed in all new projects and all refurbishments of existent centres, alongside procedures set in place to restrict water use wherever appropriate.
Sonae Sierra has been measuring, monitoring and targeting water usage in its shopping centres since 2003. This data collection and monitoring is achieved through a centralised online working database, allowing each centre management team to enter the respective environmental performance data of their centres and to generate reports on water performance indicators. This allows us to perform comparisons across Sonae Sierra’s portfolio.
This information is then used to identify unusually high usage patterns and to define new management measures for tighter control of water usage. Our long term objective is to maintain water consumption at or below 4 litres/ visit/ year.
In 2008, we have surmounted this long term objective by achieving 3.5 litre water consumption per visitor. At the present, we are re-evaluating if we should or not alter this long-term objective, since we had already also equalled 4.0 litres per visitor in 2007.
Emissions to water Beyond existent legal requirements regarding wastewater quality, we recently evaluated the appropriateness and feasibility of defining a wastewater quality standard across the portfolio. Currently, wastewater discharges are regularly analysed by externally certified laboratories, in order to control the contamination levels of our discharges to the municipal system sewers, streams, etc.
The main bio-chemical parameters analysed are:
- Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5);
- Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD);
- Grease;
- Hydrocarbons;
- Total Suspend Solids (TSS);
- Turbidity;
- pH;
- Detergents;
- Sulphites;
- Copper;
- Silver and
- Lead
Through this control it is possible to prevent and to correct direct and diffuse pollution sources.
Sonae Sierra KPI Sonae Sierra has chosen water efficiency (litres per visit) as KPI, to measure our performance under Water Issue.