SEE Sustainability

We are proud of the impact SEE Centennial is making in our communities for a cleaner environment, our tenants who enjoy operating in an ecologically responsible setting, and our partners who can see sustainable management as a pathway to financial success.
— Mark Thorsen

At Centennial, we believe the next evolution of a shopping center is a greener one. Our commitment to being a responsible community member drives us to understand and positively influence our ecological footprint.

In order to live our values, we’ve developed an internal sustainability roadmap, branded as SEE Centennial. With a focus on Sustainability, Efficiency and the Environment, it guides how we approach new projects and manage our existing properties day to day. Through SEE, we are committed to providing customers, business owners, and employees with an exceptional retail experience while improving financial performance and incorporating environmentally sustainable operating practices and energy efficiency measures into our commercial real estate portfolio.

SEE Sustainability

Form strategic partnerships to maintain robust national lighting and recycling programs

Enhance and optimize building automation systems

Continually evaluate operations to uncover incremental best practices to support our sustainability commitment

Maintain a standard of low-VOC and nontoxic paints, sealants and cleaning products

Engage the community on healthy sustainable living initiatives

Promote environmentally friendly transit options by offering electrical vehicle charging stations, mass transit, ride share programs and bike racks

Actively monitor SEE Centennial key performance indicators to ensure progress in goal achievement

Transforming Our Centers Featured SEE Case Studies

Portfolio Achievements

At Centennial, we recognize our role in environmental stewardship, both as a property manager and a vibrant member of the communities we serve. Our efforts are adding up. In 2017, Centennial exceeded our 5% goal to reduce overall energy consumption among reporting properties (actual -6.6%), which equates to a total cost avoidance of $403,267. These five malls collectively diverted 1,229 tons of trash from landfills, which is 22% of our total waste. This is the equivalent of 17,212 VW /bugs of avoided landfill space! The cardboard recycled saved 20,900 mature trees.

3.6M kWhs saved annually

20,900 trees saved

17.212 VW bugs of landfill space not used

1,229 tons of trash diverted

CT Post Energy Savings

At Connecticut Post, operational efforts have propelled our progress in environmental savings under the SEE program. New energy efficient heating and air conditioning equipment was recently installed, along with cool white roofing, which reflects instead of absorbing heat Lighting systems have been converted to efficient LED products in the interior, parking lot and parking deck. Garage lighting now makes use of daylight harvesting and occupancy sensors to conserve energy.

335,048 kWhs saved annually

6,136 trees saved

5,054 VW bugs of landfill space not used

14-stall Tesla electric car super-charging station

Fox Valley Rain Barrel Art

In October, 2017 Fox Valley Mall hosted an exhibit to teach homeowners how to conserve water by landscaping with native plants and how to conserve water by using rain barrels. Ten 55-gallon rain barrels were on display, each hand painted with nature themes by artists from the DuPage Art League. A silent auction was held in conjunction with educational events about how to use of rain barrels. Proceeds benefitted the Conservation Foundation.

127 tons of waste diverted

2,166 trees saved

1,784 VW bugs of landfill space not used

198,695 kWhs saved

Hawthorn Earth Day Expo

Working daily with retailers to recycle cardboard, Hawthorn Mall diverted an impressive 272 tons of waste from landfills in 2017. To highlight the mall’s recycling efforts and engage the community, Hawthorn teamed up with Keter Environmental Services for their first Earth Day Expo on April 22, 2018. This one-of-a-kind event welcomed visitors for eco-friendly activities throughout the day, including a cardboard challenge to build something creative solely out of recycled cardboard. The event brought meaningful value to the SEE Centennial program by uniting retailers, community partners, mall management and consumers.

15.13 kWh usage decrease

4,616 trees saved

272 tons of waste diverted

3,801 VW bugs of landfill space not used

MainPlace Compost Project

MainPlace is piloting a composting project with select restaurants and eateries to help eliminate harmful gases emitted when these products are otherwise dumped into landfills. The food waste from the mall is converted to Biofuel, which provides electricity to the Waste & Water Treatment Plant in Carson, CA. In 2017, 17 tons of organic waste was diverted from landfills.

3,000 lbs. of compost

12 Tesla electric car super-charging station

4,600 trees saved

3,788 VW bugs of landfill space not used