8:53 am, August 1, 2013
ONE OF the most eco-friendly dealerships in the UK, T H White, Swindon has opened for business and will service all Fiat Group products under one roof.
The dealership features a number of green, money-saving technologies, which have been designed and built into the new two-acre site in the Hillmead area of the town.
These include the site’s rain-catching roof – a water-harvesting system – that provides water for car washing and toilet flushing. The site also recycles used water from the valeting bays.
Meanwhile, waste engine oil is stored and used to heat the building, while solar panels on the front and the roof of the showroom provide energy for heat and light.
This development is part of a plan to reduce the size of the carbon footprint of the Fiat Brand Centre, which plans to sell more than 1,000 Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Chrysler, Abarth and Fiat Professional vehicles all from one site.
More than 25 staff have already started work at the development where the large showroom is divided into separate sections for each of the marques.
Dealer principal Peter James, said: ‘We have a big showroom but a small footprint. We have worked hard to make the site as environmentally-friendly as possible and even joined up with the local residents’ association to ensure the development fitted in with its forestry surroundings.
‘We extensively re-planted the area with trees and shrubs and laid boulders along the front aspect. It’s a very eco-friendly site – even our fences are made of recycled plastic.’
Dealer development director of Fiat Group Automobiles UK, Tim Head, said: ‘We are delighted that T H White has developed this superb new site. It’s a remarkable building with excellent fuel, water and energy-saving features.
‘It certainly paves the way for vehicle showrooms of the future.’
