Royal Botanic Gardens and Schneider Electric accelerate sustainability ambitions

September 2, 2025

Schneider Electric has announced a strategic partnership with Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG), Kew. As Kew’s official Energy Sustainability Partner, Schneider Electric, recognised for two years running as the World’s Most Sustainable Company by TIME and Statista, will play a critical role in helping the world-famous botanic gardens meet its goal to become climate positive by 2030.

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.

The partnership will see Schneider Electric take a hands-on role, advising Kew on how to develop and deliver its comprehensive sustainability plan which 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

The partnership’s projects will begin in earnest with the arrival of Schneider Electric’s consultant on site at Kew Gardens in September, marking the start of the next chapter in Kew’s sustainability journey.