TUCSON, Ariz. — Water conservation, energy conservation and recycling efforts are taking over at the Tucson Mall, and other malls are not far behind.

“Here we’re doing everything,” said Jan Luttrell, assistant general manager at the Tucson Mall.

Luttrell said her mall’s efforts are part of a company-wide effort initiated by Growth General Properties, Inc., the company that owns the Tucson Mall and Tucson’s Park Place Mall as well.

The mall, which is going through major renovation, is recycling 90 percent of the demolished building, according to Luttrell.

“From metal in the ceiling, to ceiling tile to every piece of brick and mortar,” she said.

Luttrell added that while recycling in the mall is still unavailable to mall patrons, everyone in the mall offices recycles paper and other materials on their own.

“In our office we all have bins,” Luttrell said.

In other energy-saving efforts, the mall installed a new chiller unit, reducing annual electricity output by 10 percent, Luttrell said. She added that the mall is in the process of re-lamping, or replacing all of their lighting with low voltage bulbs to further reduce their energy output. The mall has also made an effort to reduce over-use of lighting and escalators during non-business hours by using minimal nighttime lighting for overnight janitorial work and only running escalators during times when the mall is open to the public.

To conserve water usage, the mall has eliminated tray washing in their food court. Luttrell said that this may increase the amount of paper trash for food court vendors, but she was quick to note that recycling paper is easier than recycling water. Luttrell said all outside grounds use reclaimed or re-circulated water for trees and plants. And soon the mall will be installing waterless urinals in all men’s bathrooms, Luttrell said.

Luttrell also said that the mall has encouraged more bike patrols and golf carts for employees and security officers, instead of using cars, and in 2009 the mall will be replacing golf carts with Segways, which run on batteries, rather than using gasoline.

Luttrell said the Tucson Mall's key word is “efficiencies” and their decisions to foster sustainability and be environmentally aware center simply on being more efficient.

Luttrell added that many of the same projects and efforts at the Tucson Mall are underway at the Park Place Mall as well. Officials from the Park Place Mall were unable to be reached for comment.

With Tucson Mall taking the lead locally, other area malls are feeling the push to go green.

At Tucson’s Foothills Mall, mall representative Regina Harmon said that while nothing is underway just yet, talks have started between the mall and its ownership group Feldman Mall Properties.

“We have a person who has been assigned to go through our portfolio about going green,” Harmon said.

“Many things are in the works,” Harmon added, mentioning that the Foothills Mall is looking into solar panels for its roof.

Harmon also said they have already began talks with trash pickup providers Saguaro and Waste Management about what can be done to start a recycling program.