Embracing sustainability

Our Correspondent / Emirates Business

Summertown Interiors is among the UAE’s leading and most sustainable contractor, offering superior quality interior solutions as a fit-out company and turnkey provider. Established in 1997, the company has been at the forefront of delivering commercial interior projects in the UAE, specialising in implementing commercial office, education and retail projects for global Fortune 500 companies, government authorities and local businesses.
Summertown Interior’s green credentials as a fit-out partner are also unrivalled in the UAE. As the country’s first fit-out contractor to occupy LEED Gold certified interiors, the company has firsthand experience of executing green interior projects and is aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2020.
Summertown Interiors has been awarded the Gold LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (LEED EBOM) certification for the ongoing operations and maintenance of its headquarters located in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai.
Commenting on Summertown Interiors achievements Marcos Bish, Managing Director, said, “We are very proud to have received this award – to be the only company in our industry according to the US Green Building Council (USGBC) among a total of eleven companies in the UAE is a huge achievement. We would like to thank both our team and our green partner Green Technologies for their continued support in helping us to lead a ‘greener’ lifestyle.
“CSR is an ongoing process and we believe that our LEED EBOM framework will be a vital tool to further progress our efforts in achieving carbon neutrality by 2020. Next step will be to embed these policies and procedures into our ISO processes to ensure we strive to continuously improve on our carbon footprint measurement in our bid to become carbon neutral by 2020.”
LEED EBOM certification identifies and rewards current best practices and provides a framework for buildings to use less energy, water and natural resources; improve the indoor environment; and uncover operating inefficiencies. The certification requires implementation of policies such as the sustainable purchasing of materials, equipment and consumables, and the extensive monitoring and tracking of operations.
As a fit out contactor specialised in delivering green interiors, Summertown Interiors embraces sustainability in every aspect of its business. Its integrated approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is focused around four key principles— marketplace, environmental stewardship, workplace and the local and business community.
Specifically, a number of policies were created to document the organisation’s operational procedures detailing everything from operating hours to waste management. The team were then able to track and monitor the company’s activities inline with the policies, and implement measures that would enable the company to further reduce energy and water consumption, or manage business operations in a more environmentally friendly manner. Targets were set in accordance with the LEED EBOM certification system, helping to further embed sustainability into the organisation’s internal processes.
In addition improving the operational activities across the business, LEED EBOM also recognises the value of human capital and considers the importance of employee wellbeing as a critical success factor to achieving excellence in sustainability. At Summertown Interiors, the implementation of LEED EBOM has resulted in greater employee satisfaction and encouraged productivity by keeping the staff more motivated and committed to the business – this has positively contributed to the company’s bottom line.
The company’s mission is to consistently deliver high end interior projects on time and within budget, whilst helping companies to achieve their environmental goals, directly resulting in operational savings and a better workspace for employees.
As a result, Summertown Interiors is often selected as the preferred fit-out partner for leading global organisations, government authorities and local companies, with experience in working with many of the world’s largest project management firms and interior architects. All projects are executed in accordance with the internationally recognised ISO 9001:2008 quality management system.
The Summertown team is made up of architects, planners, and project managers who interpret client requirements and suggest solutions prior to and during the project’s development stage. Founded by Managing Director Marcos Bish who has been instrumental in developing a business that puts its people and the local environment first, Summertown Interiors has become an award-winning fit out contractor reputed for its design know-how, project excellence, green expertise and
exceptional client service.
At its offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi Summertown Interiors employs more than 300 staff. The firm is passionate about delivering workspaces in which employees love to work and, as much as possible, with minimal environmental impact.