Brisbane CitySwitch Award winners announced

23 NOVEMBER 2011
 

Local businesses Arup and Energetics have been named the winners of the Brisbane CitySwitch Green Office Awards at a presentation this morning.

 
CitySwitch is a national tenant energy management program which has partnered with capital city councils in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. Brisbane City Council joined the program in 2008 to encourage corporate tenants of office buildings to increase their energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources.

To date, the program has a total of 48 signatories in Brisbane, making up 53 tenancies.

Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee Chair Peter Matic, who presented the annual awards, said consulting firm Arup took out the award in the over 2,000 square metres of office space category, while Energetics was recognised in the under 2,000 square metre category.

"Arup has shown great initiative in reducing energy use by hosting a Biggest Energy Loser competition which awarded the office section with the lowest energy consumption, implementing an Energy Action Plan containing energy efficiency measures, developing a system to see real time energy use data, and trailing various lighting technology to find the most energy efficient," Cr Matic said.

Energetics is also leading the way on reducing their carbon footprint by purchasing 100 per cent GreenPower and implementing an Energy Action Program," he said.

Cr Matic said CitySwitch signatories committed to increasing their energy efficiency through actions such as installing energy efficient lighting and office equipment, changing to flat screen computer monitors, implementing occupancy sensors for lighting, and encouraging staff to reduce their energy use in the workplace such as shutting down computers at night.

"Brisbane’s office tenants can play a major role in reducing carbon emissions," Cr Matic said.

 
"In Brisbane alone, office tenants have the potential to achieve a reduction of 101,500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. This is the equivalent of taking over 21,000 cars off the road annually or permanently switching off the lights in 1,777 office buildings. Not only is this a win for the environment it is also a win for business as $11 million in energy costs would be saved.

"This program contributes to Council’s goals of making Brisbane a carbon neutral city and achieving a 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the business and industry sector by 2026," he said.

Stephen Clark, Principal Consultant,        Carol Battle, Senior Consultant in          Councillor Peter Matic, Chairman

of Energetics wins the Brisbane               in Sustainability of Arup wins the            of the Environment, Parks and 

CitySwitch Green Office award from         Brisbane CitySwitch Green Office            Sustainability committee, welcome

Councillor Peter Matic for the under        award from Councillor Peter Matic          guests at the Brisbane Executive

2,000 square metres category.                 for the above 2,000 square metres          Briefing Breakfast on the 23rd

                                                           category.                                                November.         

Read more about the collective Signatory achievements in Brisbane by downloading the latest CitySwitch Qld Progress Report >

Parsons Brinckerhoff and Queensland Nurses' Union win CitySwitch Signatory of the Year award

16 NOVEMBER 2010

 
Parsons Brinckerhoff and Queensland Nurses' Union were today announced winners of the Queensland CitySwitch Signatory of the Year award for their significant achievements in office energy efficiency.

Brisbane City Council's Lord Mayor, Campbell Newman presented the two awards as part of the annual CitySwitch Progress Report Executive Briefing event and gave recognition to program’s ‘green leaders’.

Queensland Nurses Union (QNU), Assistant Secretary, Beth Mohle received the Signatory of the Year Award (under 2000 sqm) for their tenancy which has achieved 56,773 kWh of energy savings which is an estimated dollar saving of $8,340 and 2,008 tonnes of CO2.

In this last year, QNU have upgraded lighting, installed a building management system and undertaken extensive staff education programs to reinforce the energy efficiency message.
 
Infrastructure firm Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) received the Queensland Signatory of the Year Award (over 2000 sqm) for their Brisbane tenancy which has achieved a 4.5 NABERS Energy rating. 

PB Regional Director Denis Cook said, “This year the PB Brisbane office saved 15 per cent on our electricity costs and reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by 80 tonnes. We managed to reduce our environmental footprint even though we expanded our workforce.”
 

All CitySwitch Signatories provide information detailing their energy efficiency commitment in the form of an annual Progress Report. Ten finalists were selected from 43 CitySwitch Signatories in Queensland for the award. Queensland Signatories, Leighton Contractors and Energetics received a special mention for their efforts in energy efficiency. 

Recognised as the state winners, Parsons Brinckerhoff and QNU are now up for consideration for the National CitySwitch Award.  

Earth Hour draws CitySwitch winners in Brisbane

31 MARCH 2010

Queensland environmental consultancies, OTEK and RPS were recently announced winners of Brisbane City Council’s Earth Hour draw.

The winners were announced at Brisbane’s Earth Hour Green Tie Ball, with the two organisations receiving a $500 subsidy on the cost of their initial NABERS Energy rating when they sign their Brisbane CBD tenancies up to CitySwitch. 

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Brisbane offices celebrate green credentials

3 NOVEMBER 2009

Brisbane’s new City Switch Green Office delivered its first 12-month report to Lord Mayor Campbell Newman on November 3. The report outlines the achievements of its 21 signatories, including Council and leading Brisbane companies Leighton Contractors, Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Thiess, among others.   

The report demonstrates that Signatories are directly reducing the overall greenhouse gas emissions produced by Brisbane and also providing environmental leadership to the business community.

“As Australia’s largest local government, Brisbane City Council has a responsibility to take the lead on tackling climate change,” Cr Newman said.

“That’s why I’ve committed $158.85 million this year to drive a range of environmental initiatives across sustainability, biodiversity, waste management and pollution control.

“Council is also coordinating city-wide sustainability initiatives such as the City Switch Green Office in Brisbane.  

“City Switch’s goal is to increase the number of signatories in Brisbane from 21 to 104 signatories and to save 24,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year by 2012.”

The 2008/2009 report card notes Council’s Green Square building in Fortitude Valley has achieved a five star City Switch NABERS energy rating, which is the highest score. Green Square is run on 100 percent Green Power and efficient lighting and temperature control measures help keep energy emissions to a minimum.

“Our participation in City Switch is a great opportunity for Council to demonstrate leadership in how to build and run green offices and work environments,” Cr Newman said.

“Research tells us that tenants account for almost half the electricity consumed in office buildings so it’s important we educate workers about how they can change their behaviour to help protect the environment.”

Brisbane’s City Switch Green Office launched in August 2008.

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E-waste: An issue for the green office

18 SEPTEMBER 2009

With the nation's environment ministers agreeing to consider new laws aimed at keeping dangerous and bulky e-waste out of landfill, mandatory recycling of old electronic equipment a step closer. 

Brisbane’s latest CitySwitch Café Series event on 17 September 2009 focused on e-waste, exploring the potential implications for commercial offices.

Guest speakers for this session provided CitySwitch Signatories with handy tips for designing e-waste programs and looked at how commercial offices could keep costs down and possibly even go ‘beyond compliance’.

Copies of the event presentations will be made available for Signatories via the CitySwitch website resources page.
 

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