Environmental responsibility

BREEAM certificates for sustainable building management

BREEAM lays down the highest possible standards for sustainable design and represents the benchmark in terms of assessing the environmental impact of property.

ROS actively supports the BREEAM certification and is proud that 8 out of the 12 managed locations have achieved ‘good’, ‘very good’ and ‘excellent’ asset ratings – Designer Outlet Algarve, Designer Outlet Soltau, Designer Outlet Croatia, Premier Outlet Budapest, Designer Outlet Warszawa, Designer Outlet Sosnowiec, Designer Outlet Gdańsk and La Torre Outlet Zaragoza.

Meanwhile, Designer Outlet Luxembourg, operated by ROS since October 2022, is ISO 14001 certified. ROS aims to fulfill completely BREEAM standards in the development of new projects.

There are a number of categories that determine the overall performance of a new construction project assessed using BREEAM:

• Management

• Health & Wellbeing

• Energy

• Transport

• Water

• Materials

• Waste

• Land use & ecology

• Pollution

• Innovation

When a target is reached, as determined by the BREEAM assessor, the development scores points. The category score is then calculated according to the number of credits achieved and its category weighting. Once the development has been fully assessed, the final performance rating is determined by the sum of the weighted category scores. The resulting overall score is translated into a rating on a scale of BREEAM® certification levels: pass, good, very good, excellent and outstanding.

Energy efficiency is an important part of ROS environmental responsibility. All ROS centres use LED lighting technology in their facilities, which contributes to reducing the cost of electricity and overall energy use.

ROS is also working to make the transition to renewable energies at its centres, where possible. La Torre Outlet Zaragoza, Designer Outlet and Croatia Designer Outlet Luxembourg already use solar energy, while at Designer Outlet Algarve, solar panels on the roof are currently being installed to produce its own energy. Premier Outlet Budapest is studying the placement of a photovoltaic system. This is not only a good alternative to become energy independent, but also to have a better impact on the air quality. According to the European Commission, clean air has a positive effect on mankind’s health and could save more than 400,000 lives every year.

ROS continues to develop and implement new specific improvements to pursue its energy efficiency goals and produce less emissions.

ROS is aware that responsible water consumption is an important issue for the protection of the environment. Therefore, ROS wants to monitor and reduce the use of water at its centres as a measure of efficient resource management.

The primary sources of our water consumption are public toilets and irrigation. ROS centres are actively monitoring the control of gardening irrigation systems and implementing best practices such as rainwater recovery for toilets and upgrading sanitary equipment to lower water-use alternatives.

ROS is committed to minimize overall waste generation, promote recycling and minimize the amount of waste going to landfill. All the centers in the ROS portfolio are equipped with appropriate waste sorting containers, while discouraging single-use plastics.

ROS centres are striving to develop stronger partnerships with their tenants to better engage in a circular economy approach. In particular, Designer Outlet Algarve is working to provide its tenants with training on recycling and waste reduction.

Along with its commitment to reduce energy emissions, ROS also pursues a shift to sustainable transportation practices. All centres are easily accessible by public transport and encourages visitors to take these methods where possible through marketing and incentives.

While the location and nature of the centers often lend themselves to car travel, ROS centres want to ensure that this demand is sustainable. Most Designer Outlets in the ROS portfolio are by now equipped with e-charging stations, helping consumers to reach the centers in lower-carbon methods, reducing emissions and improving air quality for the surrounding communities. Furthermore, some centres such as La Torre Outlet Zaragoza and Designer Outlet Gdansk have cycle lanes with easy access to the city centre.