Sustainability is important to us! We care about our environment and are actively working towards a greener future by implementing environmentally friendly choices and initiatives, big and small. Read more about our sustainability efforts below.
Solar cells
We have 2300 square metres of solar panels on a total of 11 roofs, which together produce 425,000 kWh per year. That is a lot of electricity! It corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of about 212 apartments. We use the electricity from our solar cells for property electricity in the form of ventilation and lighting, for example.
The next step and goal is to be able to store surplus electricity in a battery container to utilise the self-generated electricity for longer periods of the day.
Charge your electric car
We have a total of 20 electric car chargers. These charge around 150,000 kWh per year, which corresponds to 142 tonnes of carbon dioxide compared to fossil fuel for cars.
If you want to cycle to SQO instead, we have plenty of bike parking!
Recycling and recovery
Our waste and recycling supplier is the global recycling group Remondis. They operate in 30 countries, which means that we, as customers, can benefit from the company's combined expertise and world-leading expertise as well as modern facilities with the latest technology. Remondis has a strong focus on sustainability in everything they do, here you can read more about their work.
With the help of Remondis, we recycle 68.9% of all collected waste per year, that is approx. 155,225 kg. 31.1% becomes energy recovery, which corresponds to 69,963 kg. Thanks to this, we save 65,193 kg of CO2, which is comparable to a car driving 8.3 laps around the world.
We also recycle our restaurants' used cooking oil, which is about 200 litres of oil per year. Swedish Fat Recycling is a leading player in this field and ensures that all our oil is recycled into feedstock for the production of second-generation biofuels.
City
Our cleaning company is Di-er, SQO is a family-owned company with a strong environmental focus and clear environmental goals. All cleaning staff at SQO are regularly trained in environmental issues. The machines, chemicals and cleaning equipment used are carefully selected, for example, many products are made from recycled plastic and our cleaning products have the EU Ecolabel.
Beekeeping
Did you know that much of what we humans eat is pollinated by bees? For example, vegetables, fruit and nuts. Even flowers need pollinators, about 90% need this to survive. In other words, bees are very important for a healthy ecosystem. Therefore, in spring 2024, we have placed two beehives at the SQO to increase biodiversity in the neighbourhood, as pollination of plants is promoted. The hives come from Blomlöfs Bin who will use their expertise to look after the hives and make sure the bees are doing well.
Flowers
At SQO we have many beautiful flowers and other plants around the centre. We have chosen to work with Hässelby Flowers which are certified in accordance with Swedish Environmental Base, an environmental management system that complies with ISO 14001. Hässelby Blommor is audited every year by external organisations, which ensures a consistently high environmental standard.
With Hässelby Blommor we feel confident in their choice of suppliers, products and equipment, so that they are also environmentally conscious and take their responsibility. Read more about Hässelby Flowers' sustainability work here.
Environmental certification
It is important for us to fulfil the environmental requirements for buildings and their management. Breeam In-Use is a trusted international environmental certification scheme that certifies existing buildings in Sweden and around the world. The aim of these certifications is to reduce the environmental impact of buildings. Several areas are assessed, including indoor environment, energy use and water consumption. These areas are then scored and form the basis of the rating level. The SQO ratings are very good. Read more about Breeam In-Use here.
Sustainable furniture
As far as possible, we always try to buy second-hand furniture instead of new. By choosing second-hand furniture, we save natural resources and minimise the carbon footprint associated with production and transport. We simply give good-looking, fully functional furniture a longer life, reducing the demand for new furniture.
In our Food Hall, almost all the furniture and fittings are second-hand. Isn't that nice?
