The Annual Red Awards Preview and Sustainability Review event was on held on Wednesday 16th August at James in Parnell.
The Red Awards Preview aspect of the evening is an opportunity for NZRIA members, participating designers, shopfitters and retailers to review the Red Award entries by division, view photos of the submissions, network, relax and chat with our industry peers.
50 projects have been entered into this years Red Awards with a significant number entering the Food + Drink group as the hospitality sector continues to thrive. The Foodcourt, Day Cafes and Gourmet Food and the Bars, Night Clubs and Restaurant divisions will be hotly contested.
You can check out all the entrants projects here, on our Pinterest page.
This year, we launched 2 new Red Awards:
- The Red Star - recognising emerging talent in the industry.
- The Sustainability Excellence Award - our first step in creating awareness and driving change towards sustainability in retail design and shopfitting.
Our objective with the Sustainability Award is to raise the profile of Sustainable Design and Shopfitting within our industry. We took the opportunity to launch the Sustainability Award, in conjunction with the Red Awards Preview Event, as the first of many steps in helping to facilitating discussions, providing tools and support to drive a more sustainable future for us all.
We were delighted to have some of our Sponsors on hand to talk about their sustainability journeys and steps we can take NOW to deliver more sustainable retail projects.
Kiwi Property's Karl Retif introduced the evening's Sustainability speakers as proud sponsors of the new Sustainability Excellence Award. Kiwi property have developed a Retail Fit-out Sustainability Checklist as a judging Criteria for the new Sustainability Award. We will be making this tool available for you to use as part of your project planning, to drive more entries into the Sustainability Award in 2018.
Steve Aschebrock from INZIDE is an engaging speaker who is passionate about sustainability, reminding us of the reason's why it's critical that we all do our part.
INZIDE have been working towards Sustainability for more than 10 years. Everything INZIDE does has the planet in mind. From the products they source, to the processes they follow and their company initiatives - INZIDE Commercial is transparently committed to maintaining and improving their standards.
Steve is also on the NZ Green Building Council (NZGBC) Board, so it was fitting that Sam Archer from the NZGBC was able to join us and help put the spotlight on sustainability.
A member of the World Green Building Council (WGBC), NZGBC is a not for profit organisation that aims to move the global property industry towards sustainability. Green Building Councils have been established in more than 100 countries around the world.
The NZGBC is introducing Green Star rating tools for interiors. We look forward to working with the NZGBC team to support their initiatives.
The last word was from Resene's Ryan Mackenzie. Resene have been leading the way with their Environmental Choice Paint ranges since 1996 and have been actively taking responsibility with their PaintWise recycling processes and Eco.Decorator programs. Resene is committed to helping you make changes to your specifications.
It's no longer hard or costly to do the right thing. If we all make even small changes, it will make a BIG difference.
The journey has started, look out for regular Sustainability innovations, events, tools and information via Shelflife.
And if you have any questions on Sustainability, need help or advice, just ask - we'll point you in the right direction.
