The Royal Liver Building has stood at the heart of Liverpool’s waterfront since 1911. More than a landmark, it is part of the city’s identity – and we believe that looking after a place like this means thinking carefully about its future as well as celebrating its past.

At Royal Liver Building 360, sustainability and community are part of how we operate every day. From the way we run our attraction and support local businesses, to the environmental initiatives taking place across the wider Royal Liver Building, we are proud to play our part in caring for this extraordinary building and the city around it.

Our home is more than 100 years old, but its future is firmly focused on sustainability.

The Grade I listed Royal Liver Building has undergone significant investment and refurbishment to ensure that this historic building can continue to serve modern businesses, visitors and the wider Liverpool community.

The building has received multiple Green Apple environmental awards, including Gold recognition in 2022 and 2023 for its environmental and property-management achievements.

Its environmental credentials include:

Renewable energy

The Royal Liver Building is powered by energy from wind, solar and hydro sources, helping reduce the environmental impact of operating one of Liverpool’s most recognisable landmarks.*

Energy-efficient lighting

The building has invested significantly in energy-efficient LED lighting. Its spectacular external lighting scheme uses nearly 400 fittings, with LED technology designed to minimise energy consumption while bringing the architecture, clock towers and Liver Birds to life.

The building’s internal lighting has also been upgraded with high-efficiency LED systems, improving the working environment while reducing energy use and ongoing carbon impact.

Urban biodiversity

Look up towards the 10th floor and you may find one of our less conventional environmental initiatives – the Royal Liver Building’s rooftop beehive.

Established in 2022, the hive produces its own honey while providing a home for bees high above the Liverpool waterfront and supporting urban biodiversity.

Sustainable travel

The Royal Liver Building is exceptionally well connected without a car. Liverpool’s rail and bus networks are within easy walking distance, the Mersey Ferry terminal is directly opposite the building, and cycle facilities are available for building occupiers.

For our visitors, this means one of Liverpool’s most famous experiences can be reached easily by public transport, on foot or by bike.

New Ownership

Having been purchased by Princes Group in 2025, the Royal Liver Building will continue to evolve and be an integral part of Liverpool’s sustainable future.

Simon Harrison, CEO of Princes, said: “Liverpool is an integral part of our heritage and future. Securing the Royal Liver Building reflects our commitment to this great city, our people, and sustainable success. The Royal Liver Building is an enduring symbol of Liverpool, and it’s an honour for Princes to call it our home.”

*We are continually reviewing and updating our environmental information and work with the building management team to ensure the information we publish is accurate.

We know that sustainability isn’t just about the building around us. It is also about the choices we make every day.

We continually look for practical ways to reduce waste, use resources responsibly and work with businesses that share our commitment to Liverpool.

Reducing waste

We minimise disposable plastic packaging wherever possible, use recycled paper products and increasingly rely on digital systems rather than printed materials.

Our visitor experience has also embraced digital interpretation, allowing us to tell more of the Royal Liver Building’s story without relying solely on traditional printed interpretation.

Using energy responsibly

Our visitor areas use energy-efficient lighting, including motion-sensitive lighting where appropriate, helping us avoid unnecessary energy use.

Reducing water use

Dual-flush toilets are used within our operation to help reduce water consumption.

Buying locally

Wherever possible, we choose suppliers from Liverpool and the wider Liverpool City Region.

That means the products we sell, the artists we showcase and some of the experiences we create help keep more of the economic benefit of tourism within the local community.

Being a visitor attraction in the heart of Liverpool comes with a responsibility to contribute to the region that welcomes our visitors.

We work with local artists, makers and businesses to showcase the creativity of the Liverpool City Region.

Our shop has featured work from local artists including Stephen Lambert, Stratus Imagery, The Jones Boys, Geoff Drake, Moo & Snip and Rebecca Christian.

We also work with local businesses to create products especially for Royal Liver Building 360, including our signature gin from the Handmade Gin Company on the Wirral, Liver Bird models from Dockside Printing and Think Wine.

Where we can, we choose local first.

Community is at the heart of what Royal Liver Building 360 means to us as it was at the heart of the Royal Liver Friendly Society founding members.

Our team supports charities and causes that make a difference to people across the Liverpool City Region. Our partnerships are driven by the interests of our team and the needs we see within our local community.

Our lead charity partner is the Liverpool Women’s Hospital Charity, as one of the only specialist Women’s hospitals in the UK it is an important part of the community of the Liverpool City Region.

The charity was chosen by our team due to the personal connections all felt with it. Support has been varied from hosting events, collecting donations and raising funds through sponsorship of team members who have taken part in events such as the Santa Dash.

Other support has included work with Fans Supporting Foodbanks, working with Princes Group to provide significant donations to people experiencing food insecurity across the region.

We have also supported Alder Hey Children’s Charity, including donations linked to sales in our gift shop.

We also utilise the architectural lighting of the building to raise awareness of partners by lighting the building up in the requested colours as well as donating to prizes and support to local charities, schools and good causes.

Alongside charity we also support the local community offering work experience to local students from schools and colleges across the region and endorsing the work of the Travel and Tourism work at Wirral Met College.

We believe that being a successful visitor attraction should mean more than welcoming people through our doors. It should mean making a positive contribution to the place we call home.

We are active members of the Liverpool business and tourism community, working alongside organisations including the Liverpool Attractions Group, Waterfront Strategy Group and Marketing Liverpool.

Alongside these local bodies we are also members of national bodies such as UKinbound and BETA to promote the city region as a destination for national and international visitors.

Through these relationships we help promote Liverpool to visitors, support the city’s visitor economy and contribute to conversations about the future of the waterfront.

Our aim is simple:

To make Royal Liver Building 360 a great place to visit, while helping make Liverpool an even better place to live, work and explore.

There is perhaps no better sustainability story than a building that has been here for more than a century – and continues to have a purpose.

The Royal Liver Building opened in 1911 and was one of the world’s earliest buildings constructed using a reinforced concrete frame. Today it remains a working building, home to businesses, events, hospitality and Royal Liver Building 360.

Its continued use, careful conservation and adaptation demonstrate how an historic building can evolve without losing the character that makes it special.

We are proud to be one part of that continuing story.

Further information can be found on the links below

Princes Group purchase Royal Liver Building

Green Apple awards 2023

Green Apple Awards 2022

Installation of LED architectural lights

Liverpool Women’s Hospital Charity support

Royal Liver Building – Water Heaters

Royal Liver Building – Lighting 

Royal Liver Building – FMJ Story