Europark Maribor / Sustainability

THRIFTY AND MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT

At Europark Shopping Centre, we are always mindful of the installation of quality materials and the upgrading of energy solutions, which, with modern technology, offer thriftier use, smaller losses, and enhanced energy efficiency. We pursue the established goals in the field of green business through all of these measures and seek to deliver the best shopping experience for all of our visitors.

With the photovoltaic power plant on Europark’s roof, we will preserve more than 19,968 trees and reduce CO2 emissions by roughly 479 tonnes per year. 

OUR VERY OWN PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANT ON THE ROOFTOP

We have installed an 842 kW photovoltaic power plant on the shopping centre roof. The facility will generate around 978 MWh of electricity each year from renewable sources due to its 2,000 solar panels. This means that it will save approximately 19,968 trees and cut CO2 emissions by approximately 479 tonnes per year. The investment, which is worth over 1.2 million euros, is a remarkable step in the direction of greater self-sufficiency. With our own photovoltaic power plant, we will significantly decrease our environmental impact and achieve an important goal of our shopping centre’s green strategy.

WE INVEST IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY

At Europark, we will replace almost all of the facility’s cooling and ventilation equipment and organise the required regulatory system upgrades. This will ensure safe operation, boost energy efficiency, and, of course, reduce energy consumption. We will contribute to reducing the building’s energy losses by replacing the glass on the shopping centre’s floor and in its cupolas. The project is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2023. Both sustainable investments will help us meet environmental standards, and we will use significantly less energy in our shopping centre in the future.

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

In 2022, we acquired the TÜV Austria Certificate for Management in accordance with the EN ISO 50001:2018 system. In compliance with the Certificate, we regularly assess energy consumption and implement measures to save energy and boost energy efficiency in the shopping centre.

VENTILATION CUSTOMISED FOR VISITORS

The ventilation system in Europark is constantly adjusted to the air quality in the shopping centre and is thus optimal in accordance with the number of visitors. In this approach, we ensure fresh air, well-being, and the lowest possible energy usage.

ECO-FRIENDLY LED LIGHTING

We arranged for the installation of energy-saving LED technology for lighting the shopping centre’s interior and exterior facades at Europark. We also shortened and optimised the shopping centre’s lighting time frame.

MOBILITY

Europark is the hub of Maribor’s sustainable mobility, housing the most electric vehicle charging stations in one location.

MOST E-VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS IN MARIBOR

At Europark, we brought our customers closer and also facilitated the transition to more environmentally friendly mobility. In the summer of 2023, we added 5 new electric charging stations in the red mezzanine to the existing 10 electric charging stations in the upper parking lot. Visitors can thus charge their electric vehicles while shopping or doing other errands. With this, we have placed Europark at the center of sustainable mobility in Maribor, as we have the most e-charging stations in the Styrian capital in one place.
Europark’s e-vehicle charging stations are already listed in the online
Let’s travel electric  system, which lists all electric charging stations in the country.

ACCESSIBLE ON FOOT, BY BICYCLE OR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

The reduction of CO2 emissions is also influenced by fewer miles driven by cars. Because of the city’s proximity, visitors can walk from the centre of Maribor to us. At Europark, we additionally encourage alternate, more sustainable ways of travelling to our shopping centre. Europark may thus be reached by bus routes 3, 9, 13, 16, and 20. We also promote bicycle accessibility by placing the Mbajk bicycle rental stop in front of Europark, which connects 21 stations and 210 bicycles across Maribor.

The Mbajk service is available every day and at all hours; all you have to do is register in the bicycle rental system.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

We support several local providers as well as events that promote local collaboration and development. We collaborate with local farmers and growers, promote local artists and educational content creators, and support a number of charitable organisations, the Maribor football club, and several sporting, recreational, and cultural events that are significant to Maribor and the surrounding area.

BEE-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT AT EUROPARK

Flowering meadows are a favourite feeding and nectar-gathering area for bees and other pollinators. We have made the decision to only mow the lawns near the shopping centre in Europark from spring to fall once they have stopped blooming. By doing so, we have enhanced the habitat of bees and other pollinators while simultaneously emphasising the importance of safeguarding the natural environment in urban settings.

EXHIBITION OF YOUNG CREATIVE TALENTS

In Europark, we give space to different creative talents. In June 2023, we hosted a children’s art exhibition entitled NAROBE – OBRATNO (WRONG – VICE VERSA). It was prepared by the Municipal Tourist Association of Maribor in cooperation with the Maribor Kindergarten Community, and the city Municipality.

WOOD AS A SUSTAINABLE CHOICE

Sustainable development encourages the appropriate use of wood for construction and equipment, as it successfully reduces CO2 emissions. In spring 2023, we presented the use of wood and its advantages in Europark, at the exhibition Bivanje z lesom (Living with Wood), prepared by the creators of the SLOWOODLIFE online platform. More information is available here.

CHARITY CYCLING MARATHON

We organised the traditional Europark Bicycle Marathon, which encourages recreation, towards the end of May 2023. We also cycled for a good cause, as we donated 1,761 euros to the UP-Ornik association in Maribor with the registration fees we acquired and our € 1,000 donation. View the Marathon photo gallery here.

THE ORGANIC MARKET IS HERE TO STAY

For many years, we have organised the Organic Market on a weekly basis. It is intended for local producers who present and sell their goods at the market every Wednesday from 2 to 7 p.m. This kind of carefully chosen offer makes a significant contribution to the development and preservation of organic farming. More information about the Organic Market is available here.

MORE GREEN FOR A BETTER FEEL

Indoor green plants, in addition to consuming carbon dioxide and emitting oxygen, improve well-being and reduce stress levels. To make visitors feel even better, we added green plants to the shopping venues in Europark.

NEW BENCHES MADE FROM OLD ONES

Visitors enjoy taking a seat on the benches in our shopping centre. So, we have recently refurbished them due to wear. We adhered to the principles of sustainability throughout the process by repurposing some of the old ones to create new benches. This is also how we help reduce waste.

OUR SUSTAINABLE EVENTS

Several green initiatives and awareness campaigns are hosted at our shopping centre. Beginning in 2023, we held a street-side exhibition of artwork created from varied recycled waste materials. The art display is available to view here.

PARTNERS

The Europark shopping centre serves as the meeting place for a number of sustainable projects since we are able to lend a helping hand to a large number of partners through our assistance and logistical infrastructure.

WE HELP COLLECT USED “FIRST AID KITS”

Do not discard used first aid kits. They will be put to good use by the Maribor Medical Students’ Association since they organise multiple training sessions where they need bandages, gauze, scarves, and foils for practical demonstrations. For them, we organise a collection of used kits here at Europark. You can drop off your first aid supplies at the container inside entrance 1. We will ensure that they do not end up in the trash but are put to good use.

CONTAINERS FOR USED ITEMS

We placed containers in Europarks’s basement parking lot at delivery point 12, where you can dispose of used clothing, shoes, and household textiles that you no longer need. This was done in partnership with the Saubermacher company.

EUROPARK’S ECOLOGICAL ISLAND

Our shopping centre provides an ecological island where you may bring and properly dispose of packaging and other waste for separation. Containers from the Saubermacher company are accessible in the basement parking lot, at delivery point 12.

COLLECTING STOPPERS TO HELP ŽIGA

Join us in collecting stoppers and lids to help 3-year-old Žiga from Drbetinci, who is suffering from cerebral paralysis and requires specialised therapy. We collect juice stoppers, milk, liquid yoghurt, spices, shampoo and gel lids, as well as various cleaning product lids, in the container that we have placed at entrance 1.

CERTIFICATES

WE ARE FULFILLING OUR SUSTAINABLE VISION

The company SES Spar European Shopping Centers, which runs the Europark shopping centre among other things, operates economically and in accordance with a sustainable corporate culture in the fields of the environment and society, and it follows a clearly defined energy policy.