retail giants to emphasise 'green'

Two of Thailand's biggest shopping-mall operators - Central Pattana (CPN) and The Mall Group - are making big investments in "green" strategies and promoting their commitment to fighting global climate change.

CPN yesterday signed a Bt400-million contract with Trane Thailand to install 50 high-efficiency air-conditioning chiller units, each of 50,000-tonnes capacity, in 10 of its major shopping malls. The centres include four opening between now and the end of next year: Central Chaeng Wattana, Central Festival Pattaya Beach, Central Plaza Chon Buri and Central Plaza Khon Kaen.

The innovative air-conditioning systems are both energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. They are expected to reduce CPN's energy use for air-conditioning 16 per cent and reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the malls by more than 40,000 tonnes a year.

The Mall Group officially opened its "Flora and Fauna Exotica: The Lost World" event at The Emporium yesterday. It will run until October 12.

The company has spent Bt20 million on the exhibition, which creates a forest park in the mall featuring dinosaur skeletons and rare animal species. The 10-day event is expected to attract more than 500,000 visitors.

Mall Group vice chairman Supaluck Umpujh said the aim of "Flora and Fauna Exotica: The Lost World" was to promote public concern about the impact of global warming, which could lead to disasters and a loss of animal species.

Wallaya Chirathivat, executive vice president for business development and construction management at CPN, said his company believed a commitment to good corporate citizenship was a fundamental part of sustaining value creation for both society and CPN.

"We carry out corporate social-responsibility activities each year. The main thrust of these is to help care for and develop Thai society in a constructive way. The installation of high-efficiency chillers at our shopping malls is part of CPN's commitment to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions 15 per cent in five years."