Zest

Welcome to Think Green, the home of Zest’s environmental and sustainability initiative.

This is where we share our journey, achievements, and goals as we work to minimize our environmental impact.

Join us as we take steps to reduce waste, conserve resources, and promote a greener future.

We hope you will find this web page informative and that it inspires you to make your own commitments to improving the environment.

You can find out more about our ideas by reading our Environmental Policy.

How it all started?

In the summer of 2024 we undertook an audit* to assess our environmental performance. We did OK but things could certainly have been better. It’s kind of what we exected for a builiding almost 150 years old.

However, the result inspired us to make a pledge: that sustainability and environmental performance should be at the very heart of what we do as an organisation.

With the help of the £2.7m Capital Investment Programme, supported by Sheffield City Coucncil we have been able to make some real inroads into improving the building’s carbon footprint and making it fit for future generations.

So, what have we achieved since the audit?

The first stage involved a full renovation of the roof, creating a glass atrium and full insulation of 91 square metres of roof space. The insulation is certain to provide huge energy savings and help us cut our C02 emissions.

We have also switched all our lights from halogen to LED. This small change has generated major impact cutting our C02 emissions by as much as 3.41 tonnes per year –saving Zest up to £7,500 every 12 months.

What’s the latest development?

Well we’ve already increased our environmental performance by an amazing 66% since our first audit.

We’ve introduced sub metering to track our energy usage helping us to turn raw data into real savings.

We’ve started Phase 2 of our Capital Investment Programme – solar panel installation,

This is a massive job as it involves stripping four huge roof spaces and fitting 144 panels across four pitches.  Ultimately this has required closing both our gyms through most of April and May. A disappointment to us and our members but health and safety made this an unavoidable decision. However, we’re confident it will be worth it in the long run.

The solar panels alone will cut our C02 emissions by 160 tonnes over 20 years, generating an incredible 38,000 KWh a year– enough to power all our treadmills and cross trainers for four whole years, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 14 houses. Or, alternatively boiling 250,000 kettles and making 2m cups of tea (Yorkshire tea of course). Should be just enough then!

What have we got planned for the year ahead?

Our solar panel installation project should be completed by the end of May and the gyms reopened.

A new waste disposal system will soon be in place making it easier for people who use the centre to identify the correct bin for recycling paper, card, plastics and ink. We’ve already introduced food waste caddies into all our office environments

We are planning to install motion sensor lighting throughout the building after the initial success of fitting them in offices on the top floor of the main building. Motion sensor lighting can help organisations reduce energy usage by as much as 40%.

We also plan to begin the third phase of the development with the conversion of the attic space at the front of the main building. Stay tuned for more information about that in the near future.

Enhancing our Green Spaces to help nurture our immediate environment. This will take the form of litter picking groups and active maintenance of the peace garden to the rear of the building and the raised beds at the front.

As well as introducing a range of environmentally friendly improvements to the building we are also encouraging, staff and volunteers to take a more active role in controlling their own carbon footprint at work.

Our Think Green! awareness campaign aims to engage all our stakeholders, asking them to consider green alternatives when making decisions in the workplace.  Everything from travelling to work and meetings, to choosing proven environmentally focused products and suppliers over those without sustainability commitments. We’re also asking library and leisure service users to think about the environment when they use the centre.

Remember, small changes can have massive impacts over time. Something as simply as recyling a used plastic drinks bottle by disposing of it in the correct bin can make a difference. So keep it at the front of your mind and Think Green!

*Our environmental audit was carried out as part of our partnership with Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund