Rachel Purdon (RBG) and Kelly Becker (Schneider Electric). Image courtesy Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric has announced a partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) to optimise energy use and help them reach their 2030 goals.
As Kew’s official energy sustainability partner, Schneider Electric will play a critical role in helping the world-famous botanic gardens meet its goal to become climate positive by 2030.
The partnership will see Schneider Electric take a hands-on role, advising Kew on how to develop and deliver its comprehensive sustainability plan.
The plan includes transitioning away from fossil fuels, reducing carbon emissions, and optimising energy use across its historic and complex estate at both Kew Gardens and Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden based in Sussex.
As part of the agreement, Schneider Electric will provide a dedicated energy optimisation engineer, located onsite and on long-term secondment to Kew, helping to:
- Support Kew in evaluating the impact, cost, and priority of energy efficiency, controls, and monitoring projects,
- Identify, assess, and implement energy-saving opportunities within Kew’s Building Management Systems (BMS) and Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) plant,
- Explore available innovative solutions, such as cost-effective electricity use, battery storage, and microgrid opportunities, at both Kew Gardens and Wakehurst.
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As a UNESCO World Heritage site with a sizeable footprint, Grade 1 and 2 listed buildings, and high visitor numbers, Kew Gardens faces unique challenges in achieving its sustainability plans and targets.
Rachel Purdon, head of sustainability at RBG, commented in a release on some of these challenges caused by Kew’s combination of historic buildings, globally irreplaceable collections, and role in inspiring diverse audiences to connect with nature.
Said Pardon: “We are proud of our commitment to urgently tackling the dual climate and biodiversity crises through everything that we do at Kew.
“Schneider Electric’s expertise and hands-on support will be invaluable – it will help us deliver real, measurable decarbonisation progress across our sites.”
Said Kelly Becker, president, Schneider Electric UK and Ireland, Belgium and Netherlands: “Both of our organisations are impact makers, united in our vision for a more sustainable planet.
“By combining our climate positive partnership, expertise, and energy management and automation solutions, we’re able to take real action to realise a more sustainable future at RBG Kew.”
Becker also commented on Shneider Electric’s “deep experience with helping organisations like Kew advance their energy resiliency, a growing priority across businesses, utilities, and communities worldwide.
“In Kew’s case, maintaining a consistent energy supply is essential to protecting the world’s largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections for humanity – and we’re honoured to be a part of the solution.”
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a world-famous scientific organisation, internationally respected for its collections and scientific expertise in plant and fungal diversity, conservation, and sustainable development in the UK and around the globe.
Kew’s scientists and partners lead the way in the fight against biodiversity loss and finding nature-based solutions to the climate crisis, aided by five key scientific priorities outlined in Kew’s Science Strategy 2021-2025.
