The desire to be environmentally friendly, to live a sustainable existence, can pervade all levels of life. It can inform your decisions as a consumer, and this can come into play when your business involves offering a product or service to consumers. Establishing environmentally friendly practises in your retail outlet can have multiple benefits, the most obvious of which is reducing the environmental impact of your enterprise. It can also conceivably make your business more alluring to some consumers. Establishing these environmentally friendly credentials begins when the retail space is being fitted out. You could even ask your shopfitter to implement your design in accordance with the green star rating system (although the construction of an existing physical building might be beyond your control). 

Fittings

While there can be some uniformity in terms of retail shop fittings, what worked for another shop might not work for yours. And yet the simple concept of reusing existing fittings purchased by your chosen shopfitters can easily be utilised, generally with minimal modifications. The aesthetics of these existing fittings might not necessarily contribute to the look you hope to achieve, but this doesn't have to exclude the use of existing fittings. You're going for the size, shape and sturdiness of the existing fittings, and not necessarily their current look. The timber can be finished with a synthetic sealant, which allows you to choose the colour and lustre of the piece in line with your intentions. Of course, when existing fittings cannot be repurposed, recycled materials can be used to create fittings to order. Don't forget that certain furniture items could simply be reupholstered, meaning that only the outer shell has utilised new materials.

Electrical Components

Certain electrical fittings (such as lighting) can be upgraded without too much difficulty, and yet choosing lighting options that use less electricity are an excellent starting point. Any type of integrated display screens can require more effort to change, so making the best choice prior to installation is paramount. Just as a light emitting diode (LED) option can reduce the amount of electricity required to light your shop, an LED display screen can also carry a high rating in terms of its environmental performance. Display screens also have the potential to reduce your paper consumption by replacing traditional signage.

Paints, Solvents and Finishes

The environmental impact of paint cannot be dismissed. While some types of paint might have been legislated out of existence, you can still make an environmentally friendly choice. Paying attention to the volatile organic compounds in a paint can be prudent, not only for the health of you, your employees and your customers, but it's also a more eco-friendly approach in terms of the paint's manufacturing process. This also applies to any solvents or finishes that might be used when repurposing existing fittings.

To fit out a retail space in an environmentally friendly manner perhaps requires more consideration than would otherwise be needed, but it's something that certain consumers will be drawn to, meaning you shouldn't be afraid to talk up your eco friendly credentials.