IKEA UK & Ireland has committed to further increases in its energy efficiency and sustainable transport networks after renewables generation from its UK facilities soared.
The retail giant generated around 45% of the total energy demand of its UK and Ireland-based stores from IKEA-owned renewable sources, including solar PV installations atop 10 of its stores and distribution centres.
While the group’s PV installations generated more than 1 GWh of energy throughout its 2015 financial year, it remained the smallest source of electricty and was dwarfed by the group’s biomass and onshore wind assets.
Meanwhile IKEA completed a rollout of LED lighting across its facilities in the UK and as of September, 100% of lighting at IKEA stores was LED. Combined with a total 5% improvement in standard efficiency, IKEA UK & Ireland sustainability manager Joanna Yarrow said this represented “big strides” in the firm’s sustainability performance.
“Of course it’s not enough for us to operate more sustainably. To have a real impact we want to make sustainable living attractive, affordable and accessible for as many people as possible by providing products and services that help them use less water and energy, reduce waste and live healthier lives,” Yarrow said.
For 2016 the group has set its eyes on sustainable forms of transport, saying it intends to develop a “long-term strategy” for transport over the course of FY2016. This will start with a “mapping exercise” to identify areas in which IKEA “should focus [its] efforts”.
IKEA has already installed EV chargers at its UK stores and throughout FY2015 provided more than 235 MWh of charge, which the company said was enough to travel more than 1.5 million kilometres with zero emissions.
