A greener garden centre

• Efficient water and waste management measures are part of a more ambitious 'green' programme
• Measures like investing in LED lighting, a cardboard baler and efficient toilet facilities save on costs and help the environment

Caulders Garden Centre is a family-owned business that operates five garden centres in Scotland. The company undertook a resource efficiency audit which revealed a number of measures where improvements could be made.

Caulders Garden Centre needed a solution to use water more efficiently wherever possible. The urinals in the men’s toilets, for example, operated on an uncontrolled cistern, which would automatically fill and flush at set periods 24 hours a day, irrespective of use. Similar issues were found with the company's power consumption.

Key results

A water management control unit with timer controls set to match the hours of urinal use was installed. Infra-red or ultraviolet sensors were also considered to automatically control flushing. Installing such a system reduced water consumption at the Garden Centres by 150 m3, saving € 400 a year.  A rainwater-harvesting system was also considered for use in toilets and urinals, further reducing water consumption by 200 m3, and saving the business € 500 annually. 

In another area of the business, energy-intensive T8 and T12 fluorescent lights were replaced with more efficient LED lighting, reducing energy consumption by 8 992 kWh a year and saving € 5 000 a year. LED fittings also have a longer lifetime than fluorescent bulbs, reducing maintenance time and costs.  

The garden centres also handle high volumes of packaging waste, primarily cardboard collected in skips and removed by a contractor at a cost. By purchasing a cardboard baler, it saves on space and reduces the frequency of collection which saves € 4 200 a year. 

More resource efficiency measures are planned in Caulders Garden Centre.