McKenzie Clark in the UK uses a Rho 800 to print World Retail Congress display

Retail leaders from across the globe attended this year’s World Retail Congress 08 in Barcelona (9th – 11th April), hosted in a specially commissioned installation which formed the heart of the event.

The World Retail Congress 08 invited global design consultancy Gensler, and the UK’s leading retail display specialists McKenzie Clark, to create and produce an exhibition space that would set a new benchmark in the presentation of such events, be a point of conversation and challenge environmental issues within the retail sector. The resulting concept, and the centrepiece of the Congress, was a visual metaphor for both retailing and sustainability – the overarching theme for World Retail Congress 08.

Constructed entirely from cardboard boxes, the space used recycled and recyclable substrate to ensure environmental credibility and management - through the choice of material and being flat-packed for shipping - while providing visual impact and presence when constructed.

Comprising over 3000 boxes and covering 15,000 m², the innovative exhibition space provided a platform upon which the world’s leading retailers could tell their story, as well as encouraging attendees to question their own environmental credentials.

The display was also interchangeable, and would literally ‘flip’ to reveal alternative messaging that reflected the day’s topics and re-energise debate; beginning with current examples of best practice on Day 1 and changing overnight to unveil the pledges developed by the Congress around the UN Global Compact.

Jon Tollit, Practice Area Leader for Gensler London’s Retail and Branding Division commented: “Gensler designed the space to provide maximum visual impact with minimal environmental damage, whilst steering clear of ‘greenwash’. The project has been incredibly educational, Gensler strives to incorporate sustainable design solutions within all their projects and by auditing the production process we were able to quantify the actual cost to the environment, enabling us to create a stimulating but ethical environment.”

The retail sector is a major influence on society and the economy, with many retailers already making commitments to their customers to reduce their carbon footprint by cutting energy consumption, reducing packaging, or by using environmentally friendly materials for their graphic solutions. However, there is still much more that needs to be done.

Current figures available show that;

• World CO2 emissions are approximately = 27245758 million tnCO2e 2004 CDIAC for the UN
• EU CO2 emissions are approx. = 5177 million tnCO2e
  11.4% of total global emissions
• UK CO2 emissions of over 5 million tonnes of CO2 for retail equate to 7% of the total UK building energy consumption
• It is estimated that savings of up to 20% are achievable for the UK

Graham Clark, Managing Director of McKenzie Clark, the company that sourced, produced and delivered the materials for the exhibition, says: “Working with Gensler and the WRC gave McKenzie Clark a great opportunity to really push the boundaries of our capabilities as the UK’s leading retail display specialists. We were determined to ensure that the provenance of the source, production and transportation of materials stayed true to the WRC’s sustainable theme and worked closely with Carbon Smart to audit and ensure best possible practice was employed throughout”.

He goes on to say “To help meet the environmental promises of our clients, McKenzie Clark will continue to invest heavily in eco-friendly technology. We are introducing a range of sustainable materials which are available for use in retail and cosmetic displays, and are working with customers to assist in their understanding of the source, manufacturing and disposal requirements of display materials.”

Production process
McKenzie Clark stopped using solvent inks in 2007 (still widely used within the digital & silkscreen print sector) and printed the graphical content of the display directly onto the corrugated sheet using the very latest Durst 800 flatbed digital UV printing press. The Durst ink is a UV curing polymer-based ink, which is the only certified UV ink in the world free of volatile organic compounds (VOC), which damage the environment. McKenzie Clark is the only company in its sector currently using this VOC free ink. UV ink also has a 20-30% better coverage than solvent based ink, therefore reducing the amount of ink used in the process.

Carbon Smart
An assessment of the carbon footprint relating to the display’s production, transportation, use and disposal, has been provided by Carbon Smart (www.carbonsmart.co.uk)

At the end of the Congress the corrugated boxes were recycled locally by Fomet Del Reciclatge, and the iron and wood returned to the exhibition contractor in France for re-use in future exhibitions. World Retail Congress 08 will be offset by Climate Control.

Summary of the Carbon Smart Audit

Total estimated carbon footprint of display: 48.4 tnCO2e

Total estimated carbon footprint of display: 48.4 tnCO2e

Total estimated GHG emissions that will be avoided by recycling components instead of landfill: 41.2 tnCO2e

June 2008

Published : 2008-06-19