ICSC: International Council of Shopping Centers

Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship

ICSC is committed to conducting its business in ways that minimize its impact on the environment through a variety of initiatives.  Additionally, ICSC is committed to aiding retailers, developers, property operations, architects, construction professionals and others in their goal to develop, design and operate their retail property in the most efficient and environmentally responsible manner so as to preserve resources for future generations to enjoy all around the world. Among the current initiatives and information that ICSC members can access are:

ICSC Property Efficiency Scorecard

ICSC has developed an online sustainability benchmarking system uniquely tailored for the retail real estate industry - join more than 1,200 centers who use the tool to compare existing building performance data against peers using a standard set of metrics.

Assessing building performance has been a challenge for shopping center companies because of the wide variety in tenant spaces and common areas, along with the fact that tenants, not owners, control much of the building operations. The Scorecard acknowledges these circumstances, enabling shopping center owners to understand how their portfolio performs compared to an industry standard and help them improve performance to capture cost savings. The Scorecard factors shopping center type and utility metering divisions between the landlord and tenant into the benchmark to present a credible benchmark that represents the largest data set of shopping center sustainability performance currently available.

The Scorecard launched in December 2013 and is tracking data from 38 ICSC member companies from 16 countries. To learn more, visit the Scorecard website or see the article in the July 2013 issue of Shopping Centers Today (SCT).

The ICSC Property Efficiency Scorecard benchmarks include data from:

Asia
-Lend Lease
- The Link REIT

Australia
- Mirvac

Canada
- Cadillac Fairview
- Ivanhoe Cambridge
- Oxford Development
- Primaris REIT

Europe
- CBRE Global Investors
- ECE
- IKEA
- Iulius Group
- Redevco
- Sonae Sierra

USA
- Casto
- Equity One
- Forest City Enterprises
- Inland American Retail Management
- Jones Lang LaSalle
- JSH Properties
- Kemper Development Company
- Kimco
- Macerich
- Philips Edison
- Rouse Properties
- Rappaport Properties
- Vornado Realty Trust
- Westfield

Central America
- Spectrum GT

Sustainability Events

RetailGreen Conference
November 29-30, 2016
Phoenix, AZ
The RetailGreen Conference is the premier retail real estate sustainability conference for operations, design, development and construction professionals who are serious about learning the latest in sustainability in a retail environment. Learn in a variety of formats and presentations from those at the forefront of sustainable business and building practices, including panels, workshops, boardroom discussions and roundtables.

2013 RetailGreen Conference Videos

Sustainability Publications

Shopping Center Study Green Lease
Edited by Ellen Sinreich, Esq., LEED AP
The Shopping Center Study Green Lease is a guide for creating shopping center leases that address sustainable environmental practices of shopping centers and demised premises. Developed by experts representing various aspects of the shopping center industry, Shopping Center Study Green Lease puts forth lease provisions for landlords and tenants to consider including in a retail lease.
 

Green Tactics: From Retailers and Shopping Centers
by Rudolph E. Milian, SCMD, SCSM
Retail real estate is optimizing building systems and helping the environment, and this book depicts illustrative examples of best practices from ICSC's RECon Convention exhibition known as the Green Pavilion. Colorful photographs depict methods employed by some retailers and shopping centers to achieve sustainability in their businesses while reducing operating costs. Topics discussed are sustainable sites; energy and atmosphere; water efficiency; materials and resources; and indoor environmental quality.

Sustainable Retail Development: New Success Strategies
by Jerry Yudelson
Sustainable Retail Development: New Success Strategies is a practical and comprehensive guide to greening retail real estate, including green building and marketing strategies, corporate sustainability programs and features a 10-point “action program” for greening any retail real estate portfolio. It features more than 30 green retail developments from North America, Europe, South America, Asia and Australia, as well as interviews with 25 leading industry experts. Leading green building expert and ICSC Research Scholar Jerry Yudelson presents a solid business case for greening retail real estate and shows how leading companies are advancing sustainable retail businesses.

The RetailGreen Agenda: Sustainable Practices for Retailers and Shopping Centers
by Rudolph E. Milian, SCMD, SCSM
A compendium of information about sustainability in retailing and green building practices. Features hundreds of examples by shopping center companies and retail chains to save on water, energy and other costs while maximizing a healthy indoor environment for customers and employees - all helping to minimize the environmental footprint.

ICSC Foundation Fiala Fellow Sustainability Study

Energy Sustainability in Open-Air Centers: Best Practices Recommmendations Based on Proven Strategies From Retail Leaders
By: Adria Savarese
This best practices guide includes recommendations for sustainability initiatives in open-air operating properties based on successful case studies from retail leaders. The report covers key green initiatives such as lighting retrofits, energy management systems and green leasing as well as basics, such as property benchmarking and sustainable third-party building certification. It is intended to provide an overview of retail sustainability and includes resources to help put a plan into practice. This framework was supported by the 2012–2013 ICSC Foundation Fiala Fellowship, an annual award given to a recipient under the age of 35 who has the potential to make a long-lasting contribution to the retail real estate industry.

Sustainability Articles

ICSC Sustainability Research

ICSC Sustainability Collaboration with Other Industry Trade Associations

ICSC collaborates with RILA (The Retail Industry Leaders Association) and PRSM (The Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association. Volunteer and staff representatives from the three associations meet periodically to discuss over conference calls and in-person meetings on how retail real estate can move further ahead to improve industry sustainability efforts.

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA)
RILA is the trade association of the world’s largest and most innovative retail companies. RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers in the United States and abroad.

Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM)
The Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM) is the leading membership organization empowering retail facilities professionals by delivering industry best practices, education, forums and partnerships. PRSM has an actively engaged community of approximately 1,000 multi-site retailers and reputable supplier partners who value business relationships, lifelong learning, industry credibility and recognition. Members across the US and Canada depend on PRSM to help them achieve success and a competitive advantage through quality programs and resources.  Visit prsm.com for more information.

Global Public Policy and Advocacy

ICSC’s Government Relations Environment Subcommittee is comprised of experts in the fields such as energy efficiency, remediation, sustainability, and environmental law.  The subcommittee meets regularly to discuss the impacts of current and future federal, state, and local environmental policy and regulation on owners, retailers, and other stakeholders.  Current policy topics include:

ICSC Global Public Policy

ICSC Social Media

Use our ICSC RetailGreen LinkedIn page to connect with fellow members about sustainability subjects. When you join LinkedIn, you get access to people, news, updates, and industry insights.
Get connected!

Search Through ICSC’s Shopping Centers Buyers Guide to Find Green Suppliers

The International Council of Shopping Centers Buyers Guide provides members with an online tool that is more focused than a general Internet search engine; one that allows you to search for product and service providers specific to your needs. Weekly indexing of listed companies' websites guarantees the most current information about the most relevant suppliers.
There are hundreds of product and service providers that supply sustainability-related products and services in the Guide.

e-Library Green / Sustainable Real Estate Content

Did you know that as a member, you have access to the largest retail real estate e-library in the world? ICSC publications (including SCT articles and our Research Review) as well as a wide range of trade magazines, books and academic journals can be found in the database that you can easily search, on a 24/7 basis. For more details, please check out the e-Library's section on Green/ Sustainable Real Estate.

ICSC Sustainability Design Award

ICSC Sustainability Design Award seeks to reward the most environmentally, socially and economically sustainable shopping centers and retail stores worldwide. This award will only be given when the jury agrees that a project  has proved a commitment to long-term sustainable development.

Visit ICSC’s Global Awards Gallery to view complete details of the winning projects.

Help/Suggestions