Improving Mind, Body, and Planet: How Urban Rest and Opago are Leading the Way in Sustainable Property Services

In March 2023, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) delivered a stark warning that the world was close to a “runaway disaster”. Their findings show that societal change is the only way to prevent the average global temperature from rising rapidly.

Now, more than ever, it’s vital that everyone plays their part in being sustainable wherever they can. Urban Rest, the Australia-based premium property supplier, recently launched their first UK project with units at the Bloom development, and sustainability has been at the heart of everything they’ve done so far.

Located in Nine Elms on the site of the iconic Battersea Power Station, the Urban Rest Battersea development is one of the most exciting in the capital, and the Australia-based company knew they needed someone that matched their vision of “a relentless focus on sustainability and wellbeing” to achieve their goals of improving “the key three pillars of mind, body and planet”.

In stepped Opago, and now the companies are working together to make the apartments sustainable, all without compromising on quality. While Nine Elms is achieving its air quality goals, nearby areas such as Brixton and Lambeth still have work to do, so it’s vital that companies make a strong commitment to sustainability. Read on to find out more about the commitments that have been made and the results that have been achieved.

Urban Rest’s sustainability commitment formed the basis of their offering in Australia, and this has continued as they’ve expanded into Dublin and now London. Their three pillars of improving mind, body, and planet aligned with Opago’s own goals of being sustainable, and this meant that a natural partnership was agreed.

Over the course of two months, Opago carried out more than a hundred services on Urban Rest Battersea’s 53 London units. These services included housekeeping, cleaning, and amenity replenishment, and everything was undertaken with sustainability at the forefront.

First, all work was arranged, booked, and tracked via Opago’s app. This app directly reduces the amount of paper used by both companies, and also makes journeys around London more efficient by working smartly to schedule appointments. Services are only carried out when necessary, with everything flagged within the app.

Second, the cleaning products used are sustainable, too. Opago partners with Home Things, a Belgium-based company that offers household cleaning supplies, laundry liquid, and washing up liquid refills. Their mission is to “live clean”, and this perfectly aligns with Opago and Urban Rest.

Third, when amenities are replaced, products are refilled, rather than replaced. This has saved more than 400 bottles from going to landfill in just two months. As well as being sustainable, Opago also uses quality products to further underline the body and mind aspects of Urban Rest’s mission. Toiletries are provided by Mitchell and Peach, a luxury fragrance and body care provider that uses local products to minimise their carbon footprint.

Now, both companies are safe in the knowledge that they’re doing their part in protecting the planet. They’re on track to save more than 1,000 bottles going to landfill in a year, they’re partnering with Home Things to stop plastic being produced in the first place, and they’re using technology to boost efficiency.

Izabela Szumierz, Managing Director for Urban Rest Europe, said: “Since our inception, we’ve had the same core values about sustainability and what we wanted to do for the planet. That’s never wavered, and in partnering with Opago, we’ve experienced fantastic services and really been able to put these values into action. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for this partnership.”

Maxime Leufroy-Murat, CEO at Opago, said: “It’s been really exciting to work with Urban Rest in their first UK project, and it’s even better when we get to help the planet at the same time. We are all passionate about sustainability, and it’s fantastic to partner with a company that has the same values as us - long may it continue!”

Beyond the sustainability achievements in this case study, Opago is undertaking further projects to underline its green credentials. They’ve recently partnered with Ecologi, and together they’ve already planted more than 300 trees and offset more than 200 tonnes of carbon emissions by supporting the Wind power project in Mexico and capturing waste biogas in Turkey.

They also use electric vehicles where possible, making journeys even more environmentally efficient, partner with Carton Water, and use Cheeky Panda’s recycled-bamboo toilet paper in Urban Rest properties.

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