LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and the Miami Design District have unveiled a partnership in sustainability with the goal of achieving 100 percent renewable energy in stores.
The plan was outlined Tuesday evening during a panel discussion inside The Moore building at the Miami Design District, featuring Craig Robins, chief executive officer of Dacra Development, and Anish Melwani, chairman and CEO of LVMH Inc.
The agreement will see participation by LVMH’s 15 stores in the Design District, including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Bulgari, Hublot, Tiffany & Co. and Berluti, and Miami Design District Associates, the neighborhood’s developer and operator, in Florida Power & Light Company’s FPL SolarTogether program.
The agreement includes a transition to 100 percent green electricity by 2025, a commitment to keep building water use 20 percent below the baseline calculation (Energy Policy Act of 1992), the creation of a centralized energy monitoring system, a stormwater management plan and a reduction in store lights after opening hours.
New LVMH stores will source most materials in Florida and 100 percent of wood will be FSC-certified by 2025; all paints, glues, and varnishes will be water based, and the stores will also commit to using rainwater in all new buildings for gardens, toilets and maintenance. Existing LVMH buildings will aim to keep power consumption below 28 kWh/ft2 (~300 kWh/m2), and will switch off store lights outside opening hours.
“Luxury is all about making excellent products in the traditional methods,” said Melwani during the panel. “And for us that means making fragrances with real flowers that we grow in fields. It means making Champagne with grapes that can only grow in the Champagne region. And so if we think about how many of our products come from nature that have to be and have been grown in the same place for centuries, those are directly affected by climate change.”
Melwani stressed the importance of having an energy partner to help achieve these sustainable goals, as LVMH doesn’t own most of its buildings, but is a tenant. Having an energy partner to work with the landlord is crucial.
“The master plan for the Miami Design District was based on the idea that a vibrant neighborhood at the crossroads of commerce and culture could prioritize sustainability, the health of our ecosystem and the resilience of our city,” said Robins. “LVMH shares that belief, and their global leadership in sustainability has set a benchmark for all consumer brands in the luxury sector and beyond.
“Our joint commitment aims to make a positive impact on residents of and visitors to our community. Florida Power & Light’s SolarTogether program offers us an easy-to-implement way to make an immediate difference. Additional brands will join the program, demonstrating a collective will to safeguard our environment. We encourage other developers to follow our example.”
Craig Robins and Anish Melwani
