Bombay Sapphire is renowned for its distinctive blue glass bottle – but what’s inside is about to become ‘green’.

The gin’s distillery at Laverstoke Mill in Hampshire has become both the first distillery and first refurbishment to hit the level of ‘Outstanding’ in a sustainability measure.

Based in a Grade II listed Victorian building, the distillery’s new design (the still, pictured) includes solar PV, a bio-fuelled boiler and a 6kW hydro-electric water wheel powered from the River Test which flows through the site.

Under the BREEAM accreditation (Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method), projects are assessed using a system of environmental measures grouped by management, health and well-being, energy, transport, water, materials, waste, land use and ecology, pollution and innovation.

When finished, the distillery will have slashed its carbon emissions by 60%, nearly an 85% improvement on what is required by building regulations.

Emma Johansson, Global Marketing Manager for Bombay Sapphire said a huge amount of “care, skill and imagination” has gone into building the distillery “with sustainability at its very core.”

Martin Townsend, Director at BREEAM, BRE Global said: “We are very happy that the Bombay Sapphire team has achieved this ‘Outstanding’ design-stage certification – this is one of the highest scores under BREEAM and a first in the drinks industry. It is particularly impressive given this is a conversion of an existing building.”

Businesses think carbon reporting will be “almost as common” as turnover reports in two years, claims a new survey.

A new survey of more than 400 CEOs, MDs, FDs, Sustainability Directors and Environmental Managers in the UK shows almost three quarters (71%) already have energy-use targets in place.

It suggests carbon and waste reporting will be almost as common as detailing turnover by 2014. Not only this but sustainability is seen as a driver of success for seven in ten firms, while nearly four in ten put it at the core of their business strategy.

According to the research by Temple Group ‘increasing efficiencies to drive profit margins’ remains a critical business driver with 43% of respondents.

Chris Fry, Director of Temple Group said: “Every business is different and as this survey shows, each will need to prioritise the sustainability issues that are most relevant to their activities.

“It is clear that many are progressing well beyond a narrow and ‘defensive’ treatment of acute sustainability risks and costs to engage with a wider range of longer term business issues and opportunities.”

With energy prices rising and set to soar over the next five years, and mandatory carbon reports looming in early 2013, the majority of responding businesses (up to 95% of the largest firms) pinpoint energy as their main focus for resource efficiency.

Mr Fry added: “A growing minority are also starting to embrace and realise the value creation potential by focusing on the sustainability facets of their goods and services.”

ELN takes a trip to the Olympic Park to talk with EDF about their new stadium side pavilion.

Economic woes may be widespread in the UK and the Eurozone but one sector at least is still faring well – pay in sustainability and corporate responsibility (CR) roles has actually risen in the last three years.

A survey by recruiters Acre Resources found the average salary in the UK rose to £56,360, an increase of 14% since 2009 in the sector.

This bucks the overall UK trend which saw average pay drop 3% in 2011 in real terms, despite an apparent rise in salary of 1.4% because of inflation.

Almost a quarter of respondents earned basic salaries of £80,000 or more while and 4% took home more than £140,000.

In a week when Spanish coal miners took to the streets of Madrid in fear for their livelihoods, the CR and sustainability sector seems to have few of these worries, with at least 80% saying they felt their job security has improved or remained the same over the past 12 months.

Andy Cartland, Founder & Director of Acre Resources said: “A major development over the past 12 months is the increasing number of CEOs that are engaging with sustainability. This coupled with the positive salary trends points to a maturing sector that’s gaining in credibility and influence within the corporate structure.”

He said there is a change of attitude towards sustainable practices, with many professionals including them in business strategies, rather than seeing them as “an issue of mere compliance”.

Energy efficiency and carbon-related activities have also become increasingly common, added the recruitment boss.

Computer heavyweight Intel is set to invest $40 million (£25.5m) in a worldwide network of research centres, which includes collaborating with Imperial College and UCL in London. The global technology firm wants to improve computing solutions to enhance the sustainability of cities.

Justin Rattner, Intel chief technology officer said: “In 2050, most of the nine billion people in the world will live in cities… Therefore the demands of cities will be highly representative of the demands of humanity.”

Researchers will develop technologies by using real-time user and city infrastructure data. Academics at Imperial and UCL say sensor networks could be used to monitor traffic flows and predict the effects of extreme weather conditions on water supplies, resulting in the delivery of near real-time information to citizens through citywide displays and mobile applications.

David Willetts, Minister of State for Universities and Science said: “This agreement is a clear signal that the UK is a great place for high-tech research and that our significant investment in e-infrastructure will drive growth and innovation.”

Power supplier EDF Energy says its clean energy promise for the Olympics will change the way people think about energy.

Gareth Wynn, EDF Energy’s 2012 Group Director told ELN: “We’re providing an electricity supply for the Olympic park which is matched. Every unit of consumption at the Olympic Park will be matched by a unit of production from either our nuclear or our renewable assets.”

The French firm say they will use “the power of the Olympic Games” to encourage people to change the way they think about and use energy. 80% of the power EDF supplies comes from their nuclear fleet, while the remaining 20% comes from renewable sources.

Mr Wynn said this knowledge could make a difference: “In the long run if we can get people to distinguish between where their electricity comes from, it will drive demand for low carbon electricity, which will drive investment.”

Mark Dickinson

CEO

M&C Energy Group

Mark has been involved with the energy markets for the last 18 years having been fortunate to work at each stage of the value chain and across the global markets. A recognised pioneer of risk management processes for consumers of energy, Mark completed his Master in Finance at the London Business School before founding Encore, an international energy risk management company that supported leading companies with the management of over €3bn of commodity risk annually.

Mark joined M&C when Encore was acquired by the Group in 2010 and was appointed CEO of M&C Energy Group in 2011. As CEO, Mark leads the business ensuring the interests of shareholders, clients and employees are optimised whilst delivering the group strategy to consolidating the energy advisory market and deliver the first truly global energy advisory and support services business which now manages in excess of €9bn.

For more information on the webinar “Energy Challenges – for Europe and the UK”, please click here.

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If China is to hit its environmental targets it has to improve the way its cities deal with emissions. That’s the word from the World Bank, which is recommending the nation changes the way it designs and builds urban areas.

According to a new report from the organisation, 70% of energy-related greenhouse gases come from China’s cities. With an estimated 350 million people expected to move into its cities over the next 20 years, the World Bank says the case for urgent action is strong.

The report recommends including climate change policies in city planning, investment decisions, and emergency-preparedness plans as “addressing cities’ emissions is crucial.”

Klaus Rohland, the World Bank’s Country Director for China said: “The report provides a framework for actions that Chinese cities could and are already taking to promote both economic development and low-carbon growth.”

The report claims industry and power generation produce around 40% of city emissions each, with the remaining 20% contributed by transport, buildings, and waste.

Shomik Mehindratta, an Urban Transport Specialist at the World Bank said policy had to transcend the hierarchies of Government: “The central government has set clear targets to reduce the carbon intensity of the economy, but a few key complementary actions – on the land and municipal finance agenda, on facilitating coordination across different governmental entities – could help to empower city governments to effectively implement low-carbon action plans.”

EDF, the official partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, got school kids out on the water at the official rowing venue this week, with a little help from 5-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave.

The ‘EDF Community Rowing Challenge’, run in partnership with London Youth Rowing (LYR), was a hotly contested affair which saw 40 students battle it out at the official 2012 venue. LYR’s flagship programme, Row East London! is a five year, £1.25 million project aimed at young people in the ten Olympic and Gateway boroughs.

Britain’s most successful Olympian Sir Steve Redgrave, CBE, was full of praise for the pupils from East London: “It was fantastic to watch these inspiring young athletes complete the EDF Community Rowing Challenge after training so hard, especially when so few of them had even stepped into a boat before. It’s a wonderful achievement.”

As well as the sporting competition, the EDF Community Rowing Challenge aims to provide life skills to the young rowers as they progress to further education or into work.

Gareth Wynn, EDF London 2012 Group Director said: “It was great to see how committed and enthusiastic the young people who took part in the EDF Community Rowing Challenge have been. The teamwork and discipline they have shown to focus on clear goals will serve them well in whatever they go on to do.”

Paul talks about the uncertainty surrounding the third phase of the EU ETS.