The australian local government
environment yearbook 2012 速
ISBN 978-1-921345-24-1
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Haden is proud to support Local Government Super to achieve a 6 Star NABERS rating at 76 Berry Street, North Sydney.
Designed and installed by Haden Engineering to be Australia’s lowest emission building. The mechanical and electrical upgrade of 76 Berry St is targeting a reduction in emissions of 80% using Australian technologies. The scope of this project is such that the entire building upgrade was being carried out while fully tenanted. Haden was there at the beginning of this building’s life cycle, having completed the original construction of the mechanical systems back in the 1980s. It was a privilege to be able to bring Haden’s wealth of building expertise in the engineering design and construction to the energy efficiency upgrade of 76 Berry St, which is now on track to achieving a 6 Star NABERS rating. Mark Williamson, Chief Executive – Haden
Haden, at the forefront of a green building retrofit revolution.
1300 4 HADEN
www.haden.com.au
NSW AU 16007 Head Office
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76 Berry Street to achieve 6 Star NABERS rating
With NABERS ratings becoming more and more important to building owners and tenants alike, we are seeing significant demand for green building upgrades. Designed and installed by Haden Engineering, the mechanical and electrical works being carried out at 76 Berry Street, while the building was fully tenanted, show what can be achieved when the latest technology is used to create a sustainable solution. One that delivers significant energy efficiencies, environmental benefits and cost savings. In targeting a reduction in emissions of 80% using Australian Technologies, 76 Berry Street, North Sydney has been recognised by AusIndustry as world’s best practice and awarded ‘Exemplar’ status. The project, which is using the SHAW method of air conditioning, Envirolite e1 lighting and Bennett Clayton tri-generation, is on track to achieving well above the highest rating of 6 Star NABERS Energy. From 1st November 2011, all commercial buildings larger than 2,000sqm are required to disclose an energy efficiency rating, such as a NABERS rating, at the time of sale or lease. Having completed the original construction of the mechanical systems back in the 1980s, Haden were able to bring a wealth of green building expertise, as lead contractor of the project, in the provision of their design and construction services.
In the retrofit of 76 Berry Street, the existing direct expansion cooling system of the 26 year old office building will be replaced with a high efficiency chilled water system. In addition, a trigeneration plant will be installed, that will: • deliver a superior greenhouse emission profile aimed at delivering Australia’s lowest emission building • incorporate thermal storage, providing stable, reliable output of electricity for consumption within the base building electrical infrastructure. Lower energy costs are not the only benefit as they create more environmentally friendly workspaces with a modern mechanical services system that is compliant with Australian and International environmental standards. Capitalising on strategies to reduce energy costs, Local Government Super, as the recipient of Green Building Funding in May 2010, allocated funds to complete the energy efficiency upgrade of 76 Berry St to achieve significant environmental savings. At the forefront of a green building retrofit revolution, Haden was proud to be a part of this unique and ground breaking 6 star NABERS rated project.
An existing building’s heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting systems typically consume an estimated 40 to 50% of its total energy bill. Existing buildings also have a higher rate of water usage, almost double the best practice rate required to achieve a 6 Star Green Star or NABERS rating.
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76 Berry Street
Designed to be Australia’s lowest emission building
Designed and installed by Haden, the mechanical and electrical upgrade of 76 Berry St is targeting a reduction in emissions of 80% using Australian Technologies, The energy efficiency upgrade is now on track to achieving a 6 Star NABERS rating. The entire building upgrade is being carried out while fully tenanted. Building Retrofit
Refurbished lobby
Lighting refurbishment with Australian made Envirolite e1 lighting scheme, tri-generation system coupled with SMAC technologies will deliver Australia’s most efficient and lowest carbon footprint building. Powerpax Magnetic bearing electronic chillers for peak load condition will deliver highly efficient chilled water throughout the building. Gas Powered With Australian built gas generators, the Jacket and Exhaust heat recovery systems ensure most energy is used to generate electricity, chilled and heated water. Energy Efficiency
Energy efficient chillers
The new BMCS system ensures the air condition system is optimised for maximum efficiency. SMAC technologies makes significant impact on the energy savings and improves the indoor air environment. A refurbished building results in more efficiency (lower energy costs); improved, more productive working spaces and a modern mechanical services system leading Australian and international environmental delivery.
Building services riser
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Dedicated Outdoor Air-handling System Tri-generation Australian made Bennett Clayton engine technology drives a state of the art, lean burn low environment impact tri-generation system, for combined heating, cooling and power production.
Australian designed, Shaw Method of Air Conditioning twin-coil system prevents the need to use energy twice to overcool and reheat air in order to maintain humidity, and monitors and adjusts humidity levels, providing better control and improved IEQ.
This technology is multi-fuel capable; including liquid biofuels. This technology is configured so that the gas generators provide electricity to the building at all load conditions effectively taking the base building of the electricity grid. The building effectively now has back up supply from the electricity grid.
Energy Efficient Lighting New Australian lighting technology Envirolite e1 lighting: installed in base building and tenant lighting systems reducing direct lighting energy consumption by 70%.
BMCS A fully integrated Building Management and Controls system including a green screen and web interface to inform tenants and visitors of the building’s energy efficiencies.
Australian Manufactured Chillers Powerpax compressor technology offers efficiencies greater than existing technologies.
Additional benefits with reduced building heat load reduction and improved IEQ.
Chilled water reticulation system
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Initial installation of absorption chillers during project development
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Contents Minister’s foreword
5 Striving to reduce landfill waste for a healthier environment
38 41 44 46
Best practice
Corporate profile
7 Advocating sustainable development and the responsible use of resources Trying to find the balance – local government 14 responds to the proposed Murray-Darling Basin plan
48 Managing risk – natural hazards in today’s environment
4
Foreword from the Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, Simon Crean
ALGA President’s column
Energy 16 18 21
A big positive for the Australian solar industry Sustainability – Byron Shire’s heart Maximise your energy
Renewable Energy 22 Pecan Lighting launches LRL SAT-S fixture in Australia 24 Clean Energy Future Package
Environmental Upgrade Agreements – A catalyst to drive better performing buildings that stimulate economic activity and green jobs The Grove Natural ventilation: helping buildings breathe Award-winning facility manager achieves 6 star result for Brisbane City Council
Environment + sustainability 52 Local government sustainability – it’s a journey, not a destination! 58 A green planting solution 60 Local councils preparing for a price on carbon 62 The best in recycled rubber flooring 65 Australia’s Infrastructure Sustainability rating tool launched by the Australian Green Infrastructure Council 66 Small innovation with major safety and efficiency benefits
Infrastructure Green Buildings 26 28 32 34 37
Innovative, environmentally sustainable solutions Green Star – Communities: A game-changer for local government Building innovations that ‘tread lightly’ Overcoming barriers to retrofitting Your next green solution
Published by:
Executive Media Pty Ltd 430 William Street, Melbourne Vic 3000 Tel: (03) 9274 4200 Fax: (03) 9329 5295 Email: media@executivemedia.com.au Website: www.executivemedia.com.au
70
Drilling technology boosts productivity
Corporate profile 72
Give your office or library a face-lift without moving out, and save up to 50 per cent
The Australian Local Government Environment Yearbook® is a registered trademark of Executive Media Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. First edition 1997 Second edition 1998. Third edition 1999. Fourth edition 2000. Fifth edition 2001. Sixth edition 2002. Seventh edition 2003. Eighth edition 2004. Ninth edition 2005. Tenth edition 2006. Eleventh edition 2007. Twelfth edition 2008. Thirteenth edition 2009. Fourteenth edition 2010. Fifteenth edition 2011. Sixteenth edition 2012. ISBN 9781 921345 15 9
Editor: Gemma Peckham | Design: Alma McHugh 2 • the australian local government environment yearbook 2012
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Education + training
Water
76 Information, education, local government and communicating climate change Meeting the infrastructure asset management 79 challenge 80 Redland City Council – IndigiScapes Centre The best safety solutions and training 82
110 Thiess services transforms flood predictability 112 Total water cycle management in south-east Queensland 114 Delivering water solutions to local government for over 40 years
Parks + gardens Equipment + Machinery 84 86 88 92
Introducing Cat® Tier 4 Interim machines – advanced, environmentally responsible technology Sustainable choice in local government Honda power equipment Print cartridges: A sustainable vision
117 Fifteen ideas for garden design 118 Timeless quality, design and innovation Local government and plant conservation 120 124 The Botanic Gardens of Queensland 126 The urban agriculture opportunity for local government
Waste management
Streetscapes
94 96 97 99
128
Waste or a recyclable resource? The wellbeing of the planet or not? Promote your sustainability in the Keep Australia Beautiful Sustainable Cities Awards Lusty EMS Moving Floor Trailers Providing innovative waste management solutions
Glass Granulates 102
Benedict GlassSand – paving the way forward
Lighting, exterior + interior 104 106 109
LED lighting at its best A guide to good-quality LEDs Lighting the way to an energy efficient future
The editor, publisher, printer and their staff and agents are not responsible for the accuracy or correctness of the text of contributions contained in this publication or for the consequences of any use made of the products, and the information referred to in this publication. The editor, publisher, printer and their staff and agents expressly disclaim all liability of whatsoever nature for any consequences arising from any errors or omissions contained in this publication whether caused to a purchaser of this publication or otherwise. The views expressed in the articles and other material published herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor and publisher or their staff or agents. The responsibility for the
Custom furniture for unique green streetscapes
Features
1200 Buildings Alternative Technology Association Australian Green Infrastructure Council Australian Local Government Association Australian Network for Plant Conservation Environs Australia Green Building Council of Australia Keep Australia Beautiful Lighting Council Australia Local Government and Shires Associations of New South Wales Municipal Association of Victoria Office of Environment and Heritage Sustainable Melbourne Fund
accuracy of information is that of the individual contributors and neither the publisher nor editor can accept responsibility for the accuracy of information which is supplied by others. It is impossible for the publisher and editors to ensure that the advertisements and other material herein comply with the Trade Practices Act 1974 (CTH). Readers should make their own enquiries in making any decisions, and where necessary, seek professional advice. © 2012 Executive Media Pty Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.
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minister’s foreword
Minister’s foreword by The Hon Simon Crean MP Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government Minister for the Arts
A
s Local Government Minister, I have seen firsthand the innovative approaches being taken by local governments around the country towards a low-carbon future. Wherever I travel, I find a willingness to embrace a cleaner energy future and a history of action to reduce costs and local government’s carbon footprint. Local governments have determined what needs to be done, and we have established programs on how to do it. From 1 July, we will have a carbon market that rewards good behaviour, and local government can be a winner in that market. The market means that councils can offset liabilities and develop new income streams by converting methane captured from landfill into energy that they can sell and into carbon credits that they can trade. We have introduced the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) to provide an opportunity for councils to offset the cost of the carbon pricing mechanism. This enables councils to earn carbon credits by capturing or combusting landfill gas emissions from waste deposited before 1 July 2012. Local government will be a beneficiary of our funding to support low-carbon communities, including the $330 million Low Carbon Communities program. One element – the Community Energy Efficiency Program – provides $200 million to assist local governments, and not-for-profit, community and welfare organisations to undertake energy efficiency upgrades to community infrastructure. Another element – the Low Income Energy Efficiency Program – provides $100 million to a range of organisations including local councils to demonstrate and trial energy efficiency approaches in low-income households. Also from 1 July, we’re delivering the full fuel tax credit to a wide range of off-road business activities at the heart of local government. This means that even once the carbon price is taken into account, the price of fuel will be reduced by nearly 13 cents per litre for many council activities. Further assistance is available through the recently established Office of the Clean Energy Regulator. This independent agency will have a large education and support function to assist councils and businesses with
implementing the carbon price. The Regional Development Australia Fund (RDAF) – part of the government’s $4.3 billion commitment to regional Australia – also supports projects that deliver environmental benefits to regional communities. Nearly $350 million has been provided through RDAF to local councils and not-for-profit organisations, including the recently announced The Ballina Biochar and Waste-to-Energy project, which will divert 29,000 tonnes of organic waste from the region’s landfill and convert it into electricity and biochar. The Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG) also plays a key role in facilitating new approaches, and their recently published discussion paper, ‘Local Action for a Low Carbon Future’, recognises the importance of a partnership between federal and local governments in working towards a clean energy future. To recognise the achievements of local government in creating more sustainable communities, this year the Australian Government sponsored the new categories ‘Energy Smart’ and ‘Innovation in Natural Resource Management’ in the National Awards for Local Government. I congratulate the Great Lakes Council (New South Wales), Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale (Western Australia) and the Shire of Peppermint Grove (Western Australia) on their achievements, and I also congratulate the other 36 entries considered in these categories. I look forward to continuing the partnership with local government in our transition to a clean energy future.
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alga president’s column
Striving to reduce landfill waste for a healthier
environment
Contribution by ALGA President Genia McCaffery
Recent debate on the price of carbon emissions from landfills has, whether intentionally or not, focused the public policy debate on the disposal of waste, when continued attention should be given to how we, as a society, reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, and the processes that encourage waste avoidance, re-use and recycling. By reducing the amount of waste going into landfill, carbon emissions are reduced and the cost imposed by the carbon price is minimised.
H
ouseholds on average produce around one tonne of municipal waste each year. When this waste is deposited into landfill, it decomposes slowly, emitting around 1.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions over 30 to 40 years, depending upon the chemistry of the particular landfill in which it is deposited. At the time of writing this column, councils across the country with landfills that emit 25,000 tonnes of CO2e per annum are calculating the cost of new waste into their landfills and the liability to pay the carbon price on their emissions, noting that in 2015 the carbon price will be floated and set by the market. This is a complex calculation, and it is likely that charges will differ between councils because of individual circumstances, including their ability to abate emissions by measures such as flaring and using the gases as fuel for the production of electricity. This is essential work in response to the introduction of a carbon price, but the carbon price is not an end in
itself. The objective of climate change mitigation policy, including a price on carbon, is to reduce emissions. The problem with policy discussions that focus on the disposal of waste is that they inevitably focus on the consequences of a problem and not on Genia McCaffery solutions that address the problem at its source. As a community, we need to focus on ways to manage and reduce ever-increasing amounts of municipal waste: packaging, plastic bags, beverage containers, computers, televisions and vehicle tyres… the list goes on. In 2006–07, 43,777,000 tonnes of waste was generated in Australia; of which, 29 per cent was municipal solid waste. The amount of waste generated between 2002–03 and 2006–07 grew by 31 per cent. It is axiomatic that the more municipal waste is produced, the more council waste management systems have to deal with and, indeed, the more that rate payers, who ultimately pay, have to deal with. For over three decades, local governments have led the discussion about reducing the amount of waste at its source, rather than dealing with its consequences. At the top of the list of preferred options for waste management has been the need to avoid the production of unnecessary waste and waste minimisation. This is followed by the need to promote re-use, recycling and recovery and, as a last resort, disposal. This philosophy sits behind arguably one of Australia’s most successful community education programs the australian local government environment yearbook 2012 • 5
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alga president’s column
those involved in producing, selling, using and disposing of products have a shared responsibility to ensure that those products or materials are managed in a way that reduces their impact, throughout their life cycle, on the environment and on human health and safety. It is not a solution that focuses purely on the disposal of waste, as it establishes a mechanism by which manufacturers and resellers can assume greater responsibility for the waste stream they produce. It is expected that under such a framework, and by working together, all parties will be able to reduce volumes of waste to landfills, reduce emissions and decrease the cost burden of waste management on local ratepayers.
– that of kerbside recycling – and a raft of other waste management strategies that councils employ in their local communities. Under these programs, councils have worked with the communities to remove materials from the waste stream and turn a liability into a resource. I am extremely proud of local government’s efforts in this regard, and it is an excellent demonstration of how councils can lead public policy debates that require individuals and households to change behaviour. But local governments and communities cannot do it all at the local level. Others need to share in the responsibility of managing the waste that they produce. I am encouraged by the work of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), and very pleased that it is a member of the Council of Australian Government Select Council for Environment and Water, which recognises the implementation of the National Waste Policy as a key priority. Under the Policy, 16 priority strategies are being advanced, all of which are important for a comprehensive response to the management of waste. But on this occasion, I want to focus on just one particular strategy: the Commonwealth’s Product Stewardship Act of 2011. This Act came into effect on 8 August 2011. It provides a framework to effectively manage the environmental, health and safety impacts of products, and in particular those impacts associated with the disposal of products. The framework includes voluntary, co-regulatory and mandatory product stewardship. The framework acknowledges that those involved in producing, selling, using and disposing of products have a shared responsibility to ensure that those products or materials are managed in a way that reduces their impact, throughout their life cycle, on the environment
and on human health and safety. It is not a solution that focuses purely on the disposal of waste, as it establishes a mechanism by which manufacturers and resellers can assume greater responsibility for the waste stream they produce. It is expected that under such a framework, and by working together, all parties will be able to reduce volumes of waste to landfills, reduce emissions and decrease the cost burden of waste management on local ratepayers. The National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme is the first scheme to be developed under this legislation, and I look forward to seeing how it works. Under this scheme, industry will take responsibility for the collection and recycling of waste televisions, computers, printers and computer products. Householders and small business will be able to drop these items off for free at designated access points, which may include permanent collection sites, take-back events or through a mail-back option. Collection services under the Scheme will be progressively rolled out by industry from 2012, expanding across metropolitan, regional and remote areas of Australia by the end of 2013. I look forward to the development of additional industryled schemes, and I encourage local government to continue to focus on the reduction of waste to landfills, and ultimately truly effective strategies to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.
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best practice
Advocating sustainable development and the responsible
use of resources
BY kevin lowe, environs australia national president
One of Campbelltown’s solar PV installations
Environs Australia is the peak industry association that supports local government officers working in the environment and sustainability sector, along with other aligned industry players in other levels of government and the private sector.
E
nvirons Australia has recently launched a new web page – www.environs.org.au – and is gradually building it to be a resource for local government officers and other users aligned to the environment and sustainability sector. As part of its role in advocating for sustainable development and the responsible use of resources, Environs sees the challenges and directions for local government in the next few years as being: • managing through the new carbon pricing structures being developed and understanding the impact of these on our operations and communities • capturing the opportunities that lie ahead as part of the Clean Energy Act and programs like the Carbon Farming Initiative, emissions trading and carbon reporting • continuing to seek innovative ways of managing and improving efficiency in water, waste and energy
management as these utility sectors continue to climb in cost (local government is often the lead in these areas) • maintaining programs and developing new initiatives in the face of higher staff turnover – some of this is due to the growth of the mining sector and other economic drivers that are competing for skilled resources • supporting the planning of new communities by understanding our urban ecosystems so that they support population and urban density increases, biodiversity, water security, open space networks and walkable/cycle-friendly neighbourhoods • integrating environmental outcomes and promoting best practice across organisations, as well as promoting the value of partnerships and collaborative approaches to deal with issues and problems that we face across various professional disciplines that are dealing with the same issues but from different perspectives. the australian local government environment yearbook 2012 • 7
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best practice
The following is a quick overview of some members of Environs Australia who are tackling these issues Councils working together to achieve outcomes The Eastern Region Alliance (ERA) is a group of eastern metropolitan councils in Adelaide that are working together for the benefit of their combined local communities in eastern Adelaide. Member councils of the ERA are the Cities of Burnside, Campbelltown, Norwood Payneham and St Peters, Prospect, Tea Tree Gully, Unley, and the Town of Walkerville. The combined population of the ERA region is approximately one-quarter of Adelaide’s population, with a diverse mix of household family types, ages and incomes. Within ERA, there are a number of portfolio groups working together across council boundaries, including the environment. There are many advantages and efficiencies gained from working in an established alliance, including collaborating, sharing information and resources, consistent services and education campaigns. Some of the recent achievements of the ERA Environment Portfolio to date include: • delivery of a waste education puppet show throughout the region • facilitation of a bulk purchase solar installation for residents • facilitation of sustainable design sessions for planning staff • joint submissions to all levels of government on topics that affect all councils • providing an online resource for information to promote behaviour change in the community. Whilst not all ERA councils participate in all projects, the knowledge-sharing and collaboration benefit all members. Current joint projects include investigating a regional hard waste collection service, and streamlining waste and recycling practices amongst residents. Whilst there is always some friendly competition between councils, and some of the larger projects may take a little longer to establish, the overall benefits outweigh these issues, and in the environmental arena it makes sense to work within natural boundaries where possible, rather than artificially constructed ones. For more information on the ERA Environment group, see www.era.sa.gov.au.
ERA Waste education puppet show
City of Campbelltown in South Australia embraces solar energy The City of Campbelltown is located in Adelaide’s inner eastern suburbs – about six kilometres from the Adelaide GPO. Council is proud to not only lead by example and reduce its carbon footprint with the installation of several large and small grid-connected solar panel systems, but also to help the community invest in solar power in a number of different ways. Council installed a 33-kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) system at the Civic Centre in 2009, and recently extended this with the installation of a 50-kilowatt system at the library. The Civic Centre creates around 45 megawatt hours of electricity per annum, and since the installation of the library solar PV in September 2011, it has generated 60 megawatt hours of energy. Since the installation of both of these systems, the Civic Centre has produced a saving of 137 tonnes of CO2 emissions. This information is displayed on screens to keep the community informed. Facilitation of local investment Council is keen to further increase investment in solar energy within the community, and to date this has been demonstrated by entering into a loan arrangement with a local sports club, enabling them to install a 10-kilowatt system on their roof. Council also participated in a regional program as part of the Eastern Region Alliance (ERA) whereby residents could sign up to receive discounts in solar investment through a bulk purchase arrangement across the region.
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best practice
Outlining environmental features of Lochiel Park the Sustainability Centre to a tour group
In this instance, Council acted as a facilitator and was not directly involved in the contracts itself, but managed the program on behalf of residents. Further to this, Council is now building upon work done to date and has recently commenced work on a feasibility study to establish a community-owned solar scheme. This will ultimately involve developing a framework and model that will have broad-scale application by promoting alternative forms of investment to grants that currently underpin the market. Council has also been supporting the South Australian Government’s multi-award winning Lochiel Park – Green Village, which promotes efficient and sustainable water use, housing designs that work with nature, efficient energy and use of renewable energy, a holistic approach to the environment, heritage and community, and making the most of locally-produced materials. For more information see www.campbelltown.sa.gov.au.
Climate action in Newcastle Newcastle has a strong reputation and long history of engaging its community in innovative climate change mitigation initiatives. This work is recognised both nationally and internationally for its down-to-earth practical approach to this complex issue. The City of Newcastle has led its community by example, by continually finding new ways to reduce its own energy consumption. Most of its large facilities now use less than 50 per cent of what they did in the base year of 1995. The review of the City’s 2001-2008 Greenhouse Action In Newcastle Plan in 2009 highlighted an overall reduction in Council’s greenhouse gas emissions of 13 percent, and the City’s overall emissions were reduced to 21 per cent below the projected business-as-usual levels. This work included the development of ClimateCam – the world’s first greenhouse gas ‘speedometer’. ClimateCam provides regular updates of the City’s greenhouse gas emissions on the internet, through a 500-megawatt electricity meter in the city centre. Newcastle Council has extensive experience in the transferral of its knowledge and expertise through the development and delivery of energy efficiency programs for communities, councils, businesses and large clusters of schools. This work has been undertaken in most states of Australia and in New Zealand. Newcastle Council played an integral part
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best practice
in the establishment of the Together Today environmental network in 2007. Together Today has created a forum to facilitate the development and integration of smart environmental initiatives that can be rolled out across the Hunter Region. Council has been an active member of Together Today since its inception, and has achieved an enormous amount of benefit by sharing within this network of networks. By working Together Today, the council gains better access to all those within the community that are keen to improve their environmental performance in a collaborative way. Foundation Members of Together Today include NBN Television, The Herald, Hunter Water, Ausgrid, The University of Newcastle, TAFE NSW Hunter Institute, NSW Department of Education and Communities, Catholic Schools Office, Macquarie Generation, Rio Tinto, Port Waratah Coal Services and Newcastle City Council.
government in the areas of: • waste management • water management • carbon emissions • biodiversity and carbon capture/trading • carbon tax implications • community buildings sustainability • design and sustainability integration • the role of media in sustainability. We are developing site tours to CSIRO Solar Energy Centre, solar cooling systems pilot projects in the Hunter Valley, and Newcastle and the Hunter Region’s innovative environmental management practices and facilities. For more information on Environs Australia, the National Conference or membership enquiries please contact Kevin Lowe, National President of Environs Australia klowe@campbelltown.sa.gov.au or 08 8366 9204, or visit the website: www.environs.org.au.
For more information, visit www.ClimateCam.com or contact Peter Dormand, Environment and Climate Change Services at the City of Newcastle – pdormand@ncc.nsw.gov.au, or by phone on 02 4974 2542.
National Conference Environs Australia will be holding a National Conference as part of the National Parks and Leisure Australia Conference in Newcastle, New South Wales, in September 2012 around the theme ‘Change – an opportunity for revitalisation’. The areas of parks, leisure and environment are intertwined, and our new alliance with Parks and Leisure Australia (PLA), and a new association with their longstanding national conference that has aligned disciplines in these areas, creates a unique learning opportunity for members and the wider industry The Environs stream at the conference will have presentations from speakers, and site tours of facilities that showcase best practice and innovation from local 10 • the australian local government environment yearbook 2012
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Interested in preserving your local wartime heritage? The Saluting Their Service commemorations program offers modest grants to assist local communities to honour the service and sacrifice of Australia’s veterans. The program is designed to help preserve our heritage from wars and conflicts and encourage community participation in commemorative events. A wide range of community projects may be supported including: • establishing or refurbishing community war memorials; • restoring vandalised memorials; • restoring and publicly displaying wartime memorabilia; and • commemoration of significant anniversaries of battles and other military operations. Local councils, schools and community groups such as historical societies and ex-service organisations can apply for grants through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Application forms and funding guidelines available from the DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS on: 133 254 – metropolitan callers 1800 555 254 – non-metropolitan callers Website: www.dva.gov.au/grants
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best practice
Trying to find the balance – local government responds
to the proposed Murray-Darling Basin plan
BY Adrian Wells – Manager Upper Catchment, Murray Darling Association
T
he likely socio-economic impacts of the proposed Murray-Darling Basin Plan, lack of detail on the environmental watering plan, the threat of less water for productive agriculture, food security, the need for better science resources, and the need to invest in infrastructure to secure water rather than buy water, were key issues for the Murray Darling Association in its response to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s proposed Basin Plan in April 2012. In creating its response, the Association had to bring together and reflect on all of the issues, comments and concerns about the Basin Plan from its members across the Murray-Darling Basin. The Association has membership of 100 local government municipalities in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, as well as community groups, businesses, individuals and agencies with an interest in ensuring that the MurrayDarling Basin continues as a sustainable and valuable asset for all Australians. The Association aims to represent local government and community views on the major natural resource management issues of the Murray-Darling Basin. The Association’s National President, Ken Rogers of Dubbo, observed recently, ‘While the catchments, rivers, land and water issues vary greatly across the Basin, it is surprising how many of the issues about the proposed plan were common amongst local government councils. It was also surprising how well local government councils can work together when major issues like the proposed Basin Plan confront them.’ The Murray Darling Association endorsed the need for a Basin Plan but argued that it must achieve a social, economic and environmental balance. Like many other individual councils and community groups in the Basin, the Association decided that rejecting the plan would not make the Basin’s water management problems go away, nor would it secure long-term and sustainable communities, economic benefits or improved food security.
Right from the start, the Association believed that setting a water recovery figure of 2750 gigalitres would cloud the debate and simplify what is a very complex issue and proposed water management regime. While the figure might satisfy environmental or non-Basin organisations and communities, it did not satisfy Basin communities who have lived with the reality of providing water for farms, communities, businesses and the environment for many years. A watering regime had to be developed on the basis of shared needs and sacrifice, which takes account of seasonal variability linked to long-term climate history. As such, the plan had to focus on outcomes, not numbers. The record drought and more recent wet years show that there is, over time, marked seasonal variation in climate and weather across the Murray-Darling Basin. The Association contended that the management of the plan’s sustainable diversion limits must provide for flexibility to account for this long-term seasonal variation, which goes beyond community memories of the ‘good times’. Like all councils in the Murray-Darling Basin, the Association saw the proposed Basin Plan as having farreaching implications for local government and communities across the Basin. The potential impacts of the plan were clearly identified in several recent studies undertaken by councils in New South Wales and Victoria involved in the Commonwealth’s Strengthening Basin Communities program. Many irrigation-dependent communities are very vulnerable and likely to be impacted as the plan is implemented. These communities will need resources and programs to adapt to change and broaden their production and economic base. The Association was particularly concerned by the lack of a whole-of-government consideration of structural, economic or social adjustment that may flow from, or be
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best practice
There is also an unfortunate misconception, based on some comments from ministers, that the plan is about ‘drought-proofing’ the Basin. required by, the proposed plan. The Association noted that the plan did not reflect a whole-of-government approach to the Murray-Darling Basin, with obvious inconsistencies between the proposed plan, regional development and food security. The Association will continue to argue that purchasing water from ‘willing sellers’ is not the best way for the plan to proceed; instead, engineering and infrastructure approaches (as tested under The Living Murray program) should be the priority. Member councils have already experienced some of the negative social and economic impacts from the non-strategic purchasing of water from ‘willing sellers’. As with many other Basin organisations, the Association was concerned about the lack of acknowledgment in the proposed plan of previous work undertaken by states to improve water plans and secure environmental water. It also argued that it was completely inappropriate to blame irrigators for all of the water problems of the MurrayDarling Basin. The Association noted that improving the environment can bring social and economic benefits – but these will not occur in the short term – and that the environment is resilient and responds quickly – social and economic conditions do not. There is also an unfortunate misconception, based on some comments from ministers, that the plan is about ‘drought-proofing’ the Basin. This ignores the reality that the Basin has been, and will continue to be, subject to droughts and floods – events beyond living memory that communities within the Basin accept and must be prepared for. To develop its response, the Association worked with a regional organisation of councils across the Basin to ensure that there are consistencies in local government responses to the Plan. Members participated in the Authority’s many community forums, round tables and briefings across the Murray-Darling Basin; several regions received presentations from Basin Authority staff on the proposed plan; some regions contributed to South Australian, Victorian and New South Wales government responses; and staff continued meeting with Craig Knowles and senior Authority staff to clarify issues. This cooperation at the local level helped secure positive, well thought-out and credible responses to a plan that can have far-reaching impacts on local governments and communities across the MurrayDarling Basin. The Association tried to stay positive in its response, but did note that many urban groups that had a lot to say
on the proposed plan and wanted to ‘decide on what is best for their rural cousins’ would experience none of the anticipated economic pain related to how the plan might play out in reality. Governments need to ensure that communities that have to live with the outcomes of any plan should have the right to decide what is in their, and the country’s, best interests. Many coastal cities now have desalination plants to help offset their water needs – something that irrigated agriculture and food security can never depend on or afford. At the conclusion of its Basin Plan submission, the Association noted that local government and communities across the Basin are not afraid of change. Indeed, history shows that Australian rural communities and farming industries can and will embrace change, but they need support and assistance, and the benefits must be clearly evident and justifiable. Such change requires federal government support, access to support services, assistance for farmers to improve irrigation and sustainable farming practices, assistance in developing alternative businesses, training to manage the changes and minimise negative impacts on families and businesses, and a clear demonstration of how the changes will benefit the environment. The submission also asked that, given the time provided by the plan when it is fully implemented, before securing any additional environmental water, the water already secured by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder should be used, monitored, adapted and reported on. The Association also believes that the Murray-Darling Basin Authority should consolidate its experience as well as current and ongoing research on the impacts of this water and its use on the Basin’s environmental assets, including the value and role of infrastructure, before any additional water is secured. Ken Rogers concludes, ‘When former Prime Minister John Howard came up with the need for water reform, the Act that gave birth to the proposed plan was drafted and adopted in the middle of the worst drought on record. Accordingly, the proposed plan was drafted to reflect those conditions. Despite the best efforts of the Authority’s chair, Craig Knowles, there will be losers regardless of what shape the plan finally takes. There are simply too many agendas and variables in the equation. ‘Perhaps the precautionary principle being applied to the environment should firstly be applied to the sustainability of Basin communities.’
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energy
A big positive for the Australian solar industry
T
he solar industry is booming. Solar energy retailers are located all over Australia and, for most, the phones don’t stop ringing. Of course, the continuing reduction in government rebates has a large part to play in this consumer frenzy. Despite the frenzy, the Australian solar industry has been plagued with insufficient solar panel supply for years. Once a leader in the solar industry, Australia now lags behind countries that have invested heavily in manufacturing plants. Australia has now become dependent on manufacturing supply from overseas. With such strong demand in European and American markets, Australia often receives what’s ‘left over’ – and that is not enough to cover demand. As any economist will tell you, when supply and demand don’t marry, things can go awry. It’s this supply issue that has led Chinesebased LIGHTWAY New Green Energy Company to make the move to Australia and launch LIGHTWAY Australia Pty Ltd. ‘We do not just want to be a supplier of solar panels to the Australian market, we want to be right here to offer top level service, answer customer queries, meet our clients personally, and work closely with the government in making real investments in creating solar farms in Australia,’ said David Chu, CEO of LIGHTWAY Australia. LIGHTWAY’s objective from the beginning has been to establish a true and permanent presence in Australia. LIGHTWAY will be manufacturing specifically for Australia so as to ensure fast and consistent supply of premium quality solar panels and to build the right networks to work with government on local, state and national level solar projects. LIGHTWAY is globally renowned for their single minded focus on catering their production to suit large scale and complex orders in the shortest possible timeframe. The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility places innovation and quality at the forefront of their production facility. In fact, LIGHTWAY has just launched their new OP+ solar panels, which utilise world-leading technologies combined with precision engineering. ‘Our OP+ range is amongst the highest quality panels in Australia, and they are also the hardest working. These panels cater to Australia’s varied climate and deliver high yield even in low light,’ said Mr Chu.
LIGHTWAY’s OP+ range features a ‘+5W Tolerance’ rating, which, simply put, means that these panels continually exceed their stated wattage output amount – and that is a positive for the Australian market and more specifically for the Australian consumer. For more information on LIGHTWAY’S OP+ range, call 1300 822 287.
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energy
Sustainability – Byron Shire’s heart
Sustainable Streets – Mayor Jan Barham – second on right
B
yron Shire is a hub of grassroots communities that have embraced sustainability and are proud of their 1996 adoption of the Greenprint for a Sustainable Future. Mayor Jan Barham said the community and Byron Shire Council were passionate about sustainability, and aimed to integrate the practice into everyday activities, from energysaving initiatives to strategic land planning. Initiated in 2007 as part of the council’s environmental levy, Mayor Barham said the sustainability program has harnessed a cultural shift, and the community has embraced many new sustainability practices. This commitment was recently acknowledged by the federal government at the 2012 National Awards for Local Government. As part of the awards, Byron Shire Council was commended for its ‘Sustainability Services Program’. With a relatively small population base of approximately 30,000 residents, the council has a number of initiatives that engage local residents and review Council practices within a confined financial framework.
Mayor Jan Barham said that these days, there are many pressures on local government to deliver more services with limited funds. ‘Local government is at the forefront of providing roads, waste and sewerage. They are core services, but it is how we confront and prepare for potential resource challenges, and reduce our footprint through sustainability, that will place us in a strong position to navigate future challenges. ‘We are fortunate that our Shire has no shortage of committed residents who are keen to take part in our Sustainable Streets programs, community gardens, energy saving programs, carpooling, bush regeneration, recycling and local farmers’ markets, and volunteers who support cultural and social programs,’ Mayor Barham said. As a measure of how the Shire is progressing, each year Council produces a ‘Sustainability Snapshot’ that incorporates a range of indicators. The latest ‘Byron Shire Sustainability Snapshot’ report has shown that over the past three years, water usage has been decreasing, local export of renewable energy is up, recycling rates are improving and the uptake of carpooling,
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energy
The program consists of regular neighbourhood . gatherings and sustainability education workshops on topics including organic gardening, bush-friendly backyards, rainwater harvesting, solar power and energy efficiency, ethical shopping, green cleaning and cooking with local produce
bush regeneration, community gardens, and farmers’ markets continues to grow. The areas of exceptional growth in the past 12 months included the installation of residential solar power systems, solar hot water and rainwater tanks. Mayor Barham said the community has embraced government rebates that are available to upgrade and replace housing infrastructure with the aim of reducing energy consumption. ‘It’s the collective efforts that have contributed to this great result. It’s how we live and the actions we take that determine the ecological footprint we leave on the planet,’ she said. She also paid tribute to the local community gardens that play a vital connectivity role. ‘The Shire is very fortunate in that we have the vibrant and active Mullumbimby Community Garden that has been working hard for the past three years. With over 60 individual plots and a communal garden, the site is a wonderful place for people to gather, learn, share ideas, grow and play. It’s a place for young and old. ‘It takes a considerable amount of energy and volunteer hours to get a community garden off the ground. And over
the next 12 months, Byron Shire will see two more community gardens up and running.’ As a result of the Byron Shire’s commitment to community gardens, the Council has developed a Community Gardens Policy that has since been sourced by many Councils. Under the guidance of Byron Shire Council’s sustainability officer, Graeme Williams, numerous local groups have also taken up the challenge and rewards of the ‘Sustainable Streets’ program. Mr Williams said the Sustainable Streets program aims to foster community-inspired change at a neighbourhood level. In each participating neighbourhood, residents get together for sustainability workshops, to make new friendships and at the same time raise points to fund their own local sustainability project. The program consists of regular neighbourhood gatherings and sustainability education workshops on topics including organic gardening, bush-friendly backyards, rainwater harvesting, solar power and energy efficiency, ethical shopping, green cleaning and cooking with local produce.
Harvesting the Mullumbimby Community Garden
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energy
Brunswick Heads Community Centre celebrates the solar panel installation
The shire is very fortunate in that . it attracts a diverse range of people who enjoy sharing ideas and working together. We are immersed in culture and creativity Similarly, Byron Shire Council has been an active partner of the Northern Rivers Food Links program. Established in 2008, local councils in the Northern Rivers Region partnered together and were successful in securing a $2 million grant from the New South Wales Environmental Trust for a three-year project. Mr Williams said the project aimed to future-proof the Northern Rivers urban communities against the impacts of climate change and peak oil by addressing the environmental impacts of food supply chains locally. The Byron Shire Council also established a Revolving Energy Fund two years ago. The fund allows for savings from energy efficiency programs to be reinvested into community facilities for energy upgrades. Mr Williams said one of the first projects was retrofitting light fittings in the administration building. Identified under Council’s Greenhouse Action Strategy, the lighting retrofit saves an estimated 53 megawatt hours of power per year. This equates to an annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 57 tonnes. ‘The financial savings are over $14,000 per year, with a payback period of 3.5 years,’ Mr Williams said. The Mullumbimby Civic Centre lighting has also been retrofitted, and a five-kilowatt solar PV system has been
installed at the Brunswick Valley Community Centre. Mr Williams said that at a cost of $23,000, the new five-kilowatt solar system provides up to 25 per cent of the Centre’s current energy use, generates approximately 7700 kilowatt hours of clean renewable energy, and eliminates 7.25 tonnes of greenhouse gas annually. Other energy efficiency projects include a 10-kilowatt solar system at the local Myocum Landfill, and solar hot water at five community buildings. The council also partnered with local energy provider Country Energy to replace the majority of the shire’s street lighting with energy efficient lighting. With an up-front cost of just under $140,000, the payback period was 13 months, and the initiative has saved Byron Shire over $126,000 per year. The energy efficient street lighting has also reduced greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 410 tonnes per year. Mayor Jan Barham said the council and community will continue on this sustainability journey, and aim to draw in additional industry groups. ‘Last year we launched the Sustainable Food Business Directory, and this year the council will introduce a Sustainable Business Directory. ‘The shire is very fortunate in that it attracts a diverse range of people who enjoy sharing ideas and working together. We are immersed in culture and creativity, and with our sub-tropical climate, the shire has the ability to deliver home-grown produce and products to regional and international markets. ‘Byron Shire may be small, but our sustainability, creativity and dedication to preserve and protect our environment have delivered a highly valued lifestyle and community wellbeing,’ Mayor Barham said.
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energy
Maximise your energy
A
uzion is a Queensland-based company that provides solar technology and energy management solutions to households, businesses, schools and industry. Since its launch, the AuziMax has been installed in key pilot sites including council buildings, surf clubs, restaurants, agricultural sites and key energy retailer trials. The AuziMax is a unique cloud-based energy management system that can be linked to a solar grid system. Using a smart device application or internet browser, the user can log in to a secure web portal and track energy consumption, view a detailed breakdown of where and when the energy is being used, remotely switch circuits on and off, set energy budgets and targets, and even receive automatic SMS and email alerts to notify them at times of excessive consumption.
Energy Management Experts On Site Auditing • Commercial and residential Energy consumption audit • Carbon footprint audit • Government funding eligibility explanation • Power factor audit.
Assessments • AuziMax monitoring onsite • Report analysis highlighting inefficient use of energy • Track where you’re using energy. Energy Maximiser monitor
Solutions • Energy monitoring & compliance reporting • Solar photovoltaic system • Solar hot water systems • Variable speed drives • LED lighting solutions • Maximise your grid feed • Set energy budgets • Receive friendly reminders • Manage your peak demand.
Auzion’s Smart App – suitable for Android, iPhone, iPad and web browser
Auzion CEO Mark Leckenby
Each system has the capability to monitor up to 20 individual electrical circuits and analyses the levels of renewable and conventional power being used to enable smart switching of loads to maximise solar grid feed. Since its launch, the AuziMax has been installed in key pilot sites including Energex, Ergon, Sunshine Coast Regional Council, Logan City Council, Dairy Farmers (Victoria), Peregian Surf Club and Bistro C restaurant (Noosa). Both residential and commercial AuziMax customers are reporting significant behavioural changes in the way they consume electricity and, on average, have reduced their energy consumption by 10 to 20 per cent. For more information, visit www.auzion.com or call 1300 289 466.
Talk to us about helping you achieve more from your energy management today!
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renewable energy
Pecan Lighting launches LRL SAT-S fixture in Australia
L
ED Roadway Lighting Ltd. (LRL) has introduced a new, smaller form-factor LED street and area lighting fixture. The SAT-S is part of the company’s Satellite Series. While the SAT-S is smaller in size, it compromises nothing in terms of performance and reliability. The Satellite Series fixtures are engineered for a 20-year design life, using high reliability aerospace and automotive grade components. The SAT-S provides up to 80 per cent energy savings and has a total life cycle cost that is substantially lower than conventional street lighting systems. The SAT-S is available in 24 and 48 LED models and a range of finishes. SAT-S benefits: • highest power supply reliability (independently tested in accordance with Telcordia SR-332) • 20-year design life • energy efficient – up to 80 per cent savings • environmentally friendly – RoHS compliant and Dark Sky Association approved • easy to install and maintain – no special tools or training required – fixtures are maintenance-free • lowest total life-cycle cost • wall-mounting bracket available (for commercial-industrial applications).
LED (light-emitting diode) based street and area lighting fixtures and control systems. LRL is located in Nova Scotia, Canada, with research and design facilities in Halifax and a 55,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Amherst. LRL offers a complete range of LED-based street and area lighting fixtures that meet or exceed IES (Illuminating Engineering Society), CIE (Commission Internationale de L’Eclairage) and IDA (International Dark Sky Association) requirements. LRL’s products are RoHS compliant (free of lead and mercury), provide energy savings of up to 80 per cent and substantially reduce maintenance costs. LRL’s products are currently installed in more than 250 locations in 12 countries, including Australia. For further information please contact Pecan Lighting E: info@pecanlighting.com.au or visit the LRL website www.ledroadwaylighting.com.
About LED Roadway Lighting Ltd. LED Roadway Lighting Ltd. (LRL), represented in Australia by Pecan Lighting, is a leading designer and manufacturer of
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leading the LED technology wave BEFORE The new SATELLITETM SERIES SAT-S Luminaire by LED Roadway Lighting Ltd.
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renewable energy
Clean Energy Future Package by Damien Moyse, Energy Projects and Policy Manager, Alternative Technology Association
Australia enters the world of carbon pricing on 1 July 2012. What will it mean for the energy market and investors in electricity generation? What will it mean for consumers who pay for the entire cost of the energy market supply chain? And is carbon pricing really the biggest issue to worry about in the national energy market?
A
s people who work in various parts of the energy sector know, the carbon price, or Clean Energy Future Package, is actually a pretty simple policy mechanism that seeks to do just one thing – to make investment in emissions-intensive activities, such as electricity generation, unattractive. We all know that brown and black coal are the dirtiest resources for electricity generation in Australia. A carbon price of $23 per tonne of emitted greenhouse gas (fixed over the first three years of the Clean Energy Future scheme) will be enough to dissuade investors, project developers and banks from sinking their money into coal. Will this automatically mean energy investment dollars going into renewable energy? Will they go into nuclear? If demand for electricity continues to increase, where will investment go? At $23 per tonne, the carbon price makes coal-fired generation slightly more expensive than gas-fired power generation. This is one of the risks of having a carbon price that is set too low – that it simply provides an incentive for money to flow into gas-fired generation, which, given Australia’s gas reserves and the uncertainty surrounding the emissions intensity of aspects of its supply chain, is not a long-term solution to the issue of climate change and the need for low-carbon sources of energy.
What it also means is that we will continue to need complementary policy mechanisms in the energy market driving investment into renewable energy and energy efficiency. The first and longest-standing of these is the Renewable Energy Target (RET). Introduced by the Howard Government in 2001, it means that consumers, as part of their electricity bill, pay for increasing the amount of renewable energy in Australia. The government’s current aim for the RET is that 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity supply comes from renewable sources in 2020. Large-scale wind power remains the cheapest form of renewable electricity generation – at about $90 to $110 per megawatt hour of electricity generated. While prices for large- and small-scale solar continue to fall rapidly, and while geothermal energy provides cause for hope beyond 2015, large-scale wind power will likely remain most costeffective in the short term. Even with a carbon price, gas-fired generation prices are likely to hover in the $55 to $60 per megawatt hour range. A carbon price alone will therefore be insufficient to drive investment into renewable energy, and the RET will be needed until these costs converge.
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renewable energy
Then there is energy efficiency. Depending on the energy profile of an electricity customer, their tariff structure and what they use the energy for, energy efficiency can save a lot of money as electricity prices rise nationally. Some of the greatest gains from energy efficiency are available to the industrial and commercial sectors, but there is also great benefit for communities and residential customers in becoming more energy efficient through their consumption and use of efficient technology. Yet despite the economic sense of energy efficiency, the energy market is structured in a way that does not provide the right price signals or other incentives (for example inclining block tariffs for use of the distribution or transmission network) to the consumer to take up energy efficiency. Overall, consumers understand little about energy and the opportunities for energy efficiency. A carbon price alone will not be enough to overcome the various energy market barriers that stand in the way of energy efficiency. As such, we are going to need complementary policies in the area of energy efficiency – such as the Victorian Energy Saver Incentive, which ensures that consumers collectively invest in energy efficiency technology in the residential, and small and medium enterprise, sectors. And what does all this mean for the end-use energy consumer? Is the carbon price really that scary? Will the sky fall in on 2 July? The evidence suggests that it won’t. According to Treasury modelling, the Clean Energy Future package will mean an average increase of $3 per week on electricity bills across all small electricity consumers – with a total increase of $10 per week when transport, food and other consumables are taken into account. To offset this, the package delivers a range of tax cuts focused on the residential sector and middle- to lowincome households. Once delivered, it is likely that very few households will have an overall increase in their budgets. Can we all just relax, then, and forget about rising electricity prices? Unfortunately not. While the carbon price is unlikely to have a significant impact on electricity bills for the majority of consumers, the cost of electricity will continue to rise in the short to medium term. The culprit is massive overspending on electricity distribution and transmission networks. The federal government has courted controversy with the National Broadband Network (NBN), which will cost $40 billion of taxpayers’ money over the next 10 years so
that an entire IT network can reach every household and business. In comparison, electricity distribution network companies, which are regulated monopolies, are set to spend the same amount (about $40 billion) of electricity consumers’ money nationally in just the next five years. Why isn’t there a serious national debate about how much of our money the government is allowing these companies to spend? Electricity prices will continue to rise on the back of distribution network investment. On this basis, electricity consumers of all types have a major incentive for energy efficiency – whether that is increasing the energy and thermal performance of their local government areas, their homes, the industrial processes of their businesses, using more efficient lighting and water heating technology, or load shifting the time at which they use energy to take advantage of lower off-peak prices. These are the main opportunities for consumers as electricity price rises hit in the next five to 10 years. In becoming more energy efficient, they will be reducing their carbon footprints as well. Damien Moyse is the energy projects and policy manager at the Alternative Technology Association, a not-for-profit organisation promoting renewable energy, sustainable design and water saving.
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green buildings
Innovative, environmentally sustainable solutions Urban Energy Australasia is a wholly Australian-owned company, based in Sydney. We were formed to meet a segment that wasn’t being catered for in the way the market requires.
W
e are the market leaders in our field and specialise in providing our clients with engineered solutions that are both innovative and environmentally possible. Urban’s principal engineering discipline is mechanical services; however, over the years this has expanded to include: • environmentally sustainable designs • electrical, hydraulic and acoustic installation • project management • 24/7 monitoring and extended maintenance agreements. Our reputation has been built through integrating stateof-the-art technologies into designs and working with our clients to gain a clear understanding of their requirements. Our aim is to provide clients with the best products to achieve the desired outcomes whilst delivering the most innovative and environmentally sustainable solutions. We apply this philosophy with all our clients and the extensive cross-section of products and services we deliver. This is demonstrated in all the projects that we undertake. Urban energy project capabilities include: • hospitals and medical institutions • educational facilities • commercial office buildings • large residential developments • data centres • aquatic centres • heritage-listed buildings. Our staff work closely with accredited consultants to supply the NABERS ratings for the built environment as administered by the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC). We strive to achieve the much sought after Five Star Green Star rating, which sets the benchmark for ecologically sustainable design and environmental performance for commercial buildings in Australia.
We conduct comprehensive modelling during the design phase to ensure that required performance parameters can be met. Urban energy is currently undertaking the largest Trigeneration installation in Australia This is to provide 12.6 Mw of electrical power to Qantas’s catering and jet base corporate centre and T3. This project is a 20 Year BOOM (build own operate, and maintain), where Urban will provide all the electrical and thermal requirements for Qantas at Sydney airport. The client is looking at this project from a number of levels: reduction of operation costs, guaranteed supply of services and the reduction of carbon that will therefore enable them to be more competitive in an ever-increasing demanding market. By Qantas entering into a BOOM program, it has been able to achieve its objectives in decreasing rising energy costs and be able to reduce its carbon tax liabilities without having to have working capital committed to such infrastructure. This again gives the client the flexibility to be able to look at the overall operations to see how they can be more cost effective in generating energy and thermal energy required. • • • • • • • • •
Urban energy clients are: Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources New South Wales Department of Public Works Sydney West area Health Services CSIRO Bovis Lend Lease BUPA Brookfield Multiplex Ausgrid Qantas.
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20406A RHS_Urban Energy | 1781.pdf
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Urban Energy Australasia Pty Ltd 1/10 Anella Avenue Castle Hill NSW 2154 Ph: 1300 66 99 81 Fax: (02) 8850 6344 sales@urbanenergy.com.au www.urbanenergy.com.au
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green buildings
Green Star – Communities: A game-changer
for local government
BY Adam Beck, Executive Director – Market Development and Sustainable Communities, green building council of australia
Imagine a community that generates more energy than it consumes, exports more water than it uses, and recycles more waste than is sent to landfill.
I
magine a community where shared renewable energy sources generate enough energy to power thousands of homes, where affordable housing means people can live close to work, and where half of the development is dedicated parkland. Imagine a community where just four per cent of the people use a car each day, while the rest walk, ride or catch easily accessible public transport. Does this sound fanciful? It’s not. The $6 billion Barangaroo project in Sydney is aiming to be the world’s first climate positive development, and aims to prove this claim through the Green Star –
Communities certification. Barangaroo’s green initiatives include a chilled water and harbour cooling system, solar renewable energy generated on site, an integrated management strategy and green travel options. While these initiatives will address a range of environmental concerns, the project team is also concerned with social sustainability. The project incorporates affordable housing and local employment opportunities with a view to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the region. More than 50 per cent of Barangaroo will be dedicated public space, including a 2.2-kilometre foreshore walk.
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From buildings to communities For many years, a Green Star rating has been a symbol of environmental sustainability. From glittering skyscrapers to low-rise schools, Green Star has driven a market shift that encourages an integrated, holistic approach to building design and construction. Until now, however, Green Star was restricted to buildings. In June, the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) launched Green Star – Communities to recalibrate Australia’s understanding of sustainability at the community scale. In 2009, the GBCA began consulting with industry about how to evolve from greening our buildings to greening entire communities. The feedback was definitive: a rating tool to help transform and better plan our communities was the answer. We also recognised that the full spectrum of sustainability issues should be included. Industry needed guidance on how to create communities that meet a range of economic and social priorities, as well as the environmental ones. Talented people from across the industry came together to work on the project – including stakeholders from academia, social and town planning, project and development management, economics, policy, urban
The Green Star – Communities rating tool will provide federal government with a vehicle for delivering policy outcomes, state governments with guidance for planning and approval of significant projects, and local governments with a framework for greater sustainable development outcomes and collaboration with industry. design, scientific and environmental engineering, and all three tiers of government. In total, the GBCA led a process with 38 sponsors and 135 members of technical working groups and committees.
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Our first step was to establish a national framework for sustainable communities. By 2010, the framework outlined five national best practice principles to guide sustainable communities in Australia. These have since expanded to six categories: liveability, economic prosperity, environment, community design, governance and innovation. Once those principles were clearly articulated, GBCA’s technical ratings team commenced work on the credits that underpin each principle. Thirty-eight credits were tested on projects around Australia – from small, private sector infill projects to large, government master-planned precincts – like Barangaroo – around Australia. In the past, nationally consistent best practice built environment outcomes have been difficult to achieve when policies and regulations are driven at a state or local government level; however, we believe the Green Star – Communities rating tool will become a voluntary national standard, as every state and territory government land organisation has sponsored the development of the rating tool. The Green Star – Communities rating tool will provide federal government with a vehicle for delivering policy outcomes, state governments with guidance for planning and approval of significant projects, and local governments with a framework for greater sustainable development outcomes and collaboration with industry. Greening the globe While the Green Star – Communities rating tool is new, we are confident that it will follow a similar trajectory to that of its United States counterpart. The United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighbourhood Development rating tool (LEED-ND) rewards new projects that minimise urban sprawl, protect fragile ecosystems and encourage alternative modes of transport. Alongside these environmental issues, LEED-ND emphasises the creation of compact, walkable, vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhoods with good connections to nearby communities. Nearly 300 community projects have been certified under the LEED-ND rating tool. Among them is the Renaissance Place at Grand in St Louis, Missouri. Residents live within an 800-metre walk of shops, schools, cultural institutions and public transport. The project team incorporated mixed-income housing, a park, new office space, and community services to help revitalise the 33acre site, which once contained a public housing complex.
Another example is Dockside Green in Victoria, Canada, which is working towards a LEED-ND Platinum rating. This landmark project incorporates a variety of iconic green technologies, such as wind turbines, green roofs and solar power. Residential towers include energy-saving appliances, heat recovery ventilators and double-glazed windows. A centralised biomass gasification plant converts waste wood, such as tree clippings, into gas for hot water and heat. Dockside Green’s design rejects the car-centric focus of the past. A residential car-pooling program, the provision of bicycle racks and showers for those commuting to the development’s commercial areas, and the connection of the development to a regional cycling trail are just some of the design features. Rooftop and hanging gardens, waterfront walkways, large balconies and expansive green spaces make for a liveable community. A grassroots movement Local governments will be a key driver in the success of Green Star – Communities, as their role as plan maker, approval authority and policy-maker will directly influence whether developers are able to achieve the outcomes outlined in the 38 credits. Local governments can stimulate the shift to green communities with a range of incentives, from investment assistance and rate reductions for Green Star-certified communities, through to sustainable development grants. Non-financial incentives are also important. Ensuring that planning schemes support Green Star – Communities can be the first step. Expedited approvals, green planning reconsiderations and green education programs for local businesses are some of the other non-financial incentives being introduced around Australia. Local governments are most closely connected to our communities at the ‘grassroots’ level. Now that the Green Star – Communities tool has been launched, the Green Building Council of Australia is seeking partnerships with local and state governments to pilot the tool on projects. We are excited to be working with the Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne councils, and look forward to other local governments joining us to transform Australia’s communities. For more information, visit: www.gbca.org.au/communities.
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DESIGN CONSTRUCT INDUSTRIES
ECO-VILLA FALLS CREEK, with VOGUE PERGOLA and MEGA-ANCHOR and TOP HAT foundations – no excavation required.
Remote community housing – BANIYALA NT
ECOVILLA.COM.AU Ph: 0488 044 111
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Building innovations that ‘tread lightly’
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The galvanised above ground components of the anchor system. The anchor, the stirrup for the bearers to sit in and the 60-millimetre pipe
The 40-millimetre and 60-millimetre Mega Anchors.
MEGA ANCHOR components national distributor 0488 044 111
CORCON – lightweight, reuseable sheetmetal formwork. www.corcon.com
esign Construct Industries Pty Ltd is a multiaward winning design company that has evolved into a group of companies that manufacture, supply and install a range of innovative building elements and products that ‘tread lightly’, are energy efficient and meet a range of sustainability criteria. Each of the companies produces unique products that can meet stringent environmental specifications and provide solutions that satisfy aesthetic architectural concepts. Vogue Pergola Pty Ltd design, manufacture and install boutique steel frame shade structures that grace any streetscape, school playground, sporting or pool area. Now operating for over 20 years, Vogue Pergola Pty Ltd has licensed installers and agents throughout Australia that give obligation-free advice and quotations to suit any location and the most discerning clients. Enzo, the company architect, claims that in over a quarter of a million square metres, no two pergolas are the same, confirming the uniqueness of the design. Chief Engineer and Founder, Andy Stodulka, believes a large part of the company’s success is due to a commitment to continual innovation, research and development and local manufacturing. The company has recently launched the ‘Vogue Retracta’, a retractable pergola that allows all year round flexibility. Eco-Villa Australia Pty Ltd is the second branch of DCI and specialises in the manufacture and construction of boutique steel frame residential and commercial buildings. Utilising Australian-made Mega Anchor foundations and long-span Top Hats bearers and joists (all manufactured in-house), the buildings need no excavation or concrete, and are flood, earthquake and fire resistant as well as being termite proof! The heavy-duty but light steel wall frames are manufactured in Hume ACT and then assembled onsite. Eco-Villa housing, schools, and halls have been constructed by unskilled labour, and owner builders in Vanuatu, Gove and throughout the east coast of Australia. Eco-Villa has also
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Left: ECOVILLA featuring Boutique Vogue Pergola. www.vogepergolas.com.au
Below: Top Hats – cut to length – spans up to nine metres – stackable for ease of transport.
launched a new wall panel system called Intel-Panel, which delivers a cost-effective 3+R rating. Other products and building systems manufactured by DCI include: • Corcon™ Formwork System – a lightweight, reusable, sheet metal form for floor slabs. The resulting slab requires up to 30 per cent less concrete and steel compared to a conventional slab, resulting in extra stars and 30 per cent less embodied energy. The resulting slab is also stronger and more earthquake resistant than any other conventional slab. • Long Span Top Hats are manufactured to size, in four sizes, with different span capacities. The 90-centimetre, 150-centimetre, 230-centimetre and 300-centimetre Top Hats respectively span 4 metres, 6 metres, 8 metres and 9 metres as roofing purlins and 1.8 metres, 3.6 metres, 5 metres and 7 metres for joists. As the Top Hats nest, they are easy to transport and easier to install. For further information, contact head office on: 02 6260 1500, info@designconstructindustries.com.au or visit the websites: www.corcon.com www.voguepergolas.com.au www.ecovilla.net.au www.ecovilla.com.au
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green buildings
Overcoming barriers to
retrofitting
by trevor stafford and michele leembruggen
There are a range of barriers that have traditionally prevented the accelerated uptake of energy and water efficiency measures and renewable energy solutions in existing buildings.
T
hese barriers include a lack of awareness of how to capture value, a perception of investment costs being too high, the split incentive – where building owners are not incentivised to invest in efficiency measures because tenants pay the utility bills – and limited availability of capital to fund retrofits. Development of environmental upgrade finance Environmental upgrade finance was developed under the City of Melbourne’s 1200 Buildings Program to address barriers to retrofitting and enable building owners to seize the business opportunities that retrofitting presents. To overcome key barriers, the City of Melbourne engaged the Victorian Government to undertake a worldfirst – an amendment to legislation to provide access to finance for retrofitting and to remove the split incentive.
The amendment to the City of Melbourne Act 2001 has enabled Melbourne City Council to levy a new form of statutory charge, called the environmental upgrade charge. The ability to recover money advanced for environmental retrofit work as a statutory charge provides additional security for financiers. The environmental upgrade charge ranks senior to other debts and charges in the event of default. The reduced risk associated with the mechanism incentivises financiers to advance capital for environmental improvement works. This overcomes the main barrier to financiers funding efficiency projects, which is the issue of obtaining security as collateral for funds advanced. The availability of environmental upgrade finance presents the commercial building sector with an unprecedented opportunity to become more energy and water efficient. Benefits to building owners and tenants Among the benefits to building owners are lower costs and improved competitiveness – financing retrofits through environmental upgrade finance is a practical and innovative way of offsetting utility price rises.
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Resource-efficient buildings save owners and tenants money through reduced utility costs, and there is mounting evidence that higher-rated buildings have increased appeal to buyers and tenants, and appreciate more in value. The mechanism allows building owners to share the environmental upgrade charge with their tenants, which can unlock greater savings for both parties, capture the full benefits of a retrofit and open up new building cash flows. Benefits to the municipality Environmental upgrade finance drives investment and strengthens the community through job creation. The mechanism assists the municipality to achieve sustainability objectives and meet emission reduction targets – the aim of the 1200 Buildings Program is to achieve a 38 per cent reduction in energy use in commercial buildings, with 383 kilotonnes of CO2-e and five gigalitres of annual savings. By reducing overall emissions, the mechanism assists in making the community healthier.
The 1200 Buildings Program was launched in 2010, and aims to catalyse the retrofit of commercial, non-residential buildings in the municipality of Melbourne to enhance our livability – economic, social and environmental. Extensive community consultation undertaken by the council told us that the community wants Melbourne to be an ‘EcoCity’. Part of this vision is expressed in a bold goal to become carbon neutral by 2020. Commercial buildings generate over half of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, so retrofitting 1200 buildings will go a long way towards achieving this impressive goal. The City of Melbourne’s 1200 Buildings Program has provided support for the uptake of retrofit activity in Melbourne over the last two years. Support materials in the form of advice sheets, video/written case studies and seminars provide valuable information to building owners and managers considering retrofitting and environmental upgrade finance, which is designed to increase access to finance. How environmental upgrade finance works The mechanism allows Melbourne City Council, in partnership with Australian financial institutions, to enter into voluntary environmental upgrade agreements with building owners to finance environmental upgrades for nonresidential buildings. Under an environmental upgrade agreement, funds advanced by the financier to a building owner for retrofitting are recovered by councils through a charge linked to rates collection – the environmental upgrade charge. Money received by councils is then forwarded to the financier. Capital advanced for retrofits through environmental upgrade finance is available with attractive terms, cost and tenure because the mechanism de-risks the financier’s participation. The mechanism therefore fills a funding gap where finance for retrofitting is either not available or is available at considerably more expense. Environmental upgrade finance available through the 1200 Buildings Program is administered by Sustainable Melbourne Fund on behalf of the City of Melbourne. Sustainable Melbourne Fund Sustainable Melbourne Fund is a commercially oriented, independently managed unit trust, which was established by Melbourne City Council in 2002 to progress sustainable development in greater Melbourne. Since its inception, Sustainable Melbourne Fund has established a track record of integrating energy efficiency,
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renewable energy and sustainability into the built environment to deliver improved commercial and environmental outcomes. In addition to administering the environmental upgrade finance mechanism within the City of Melbourne’s 1200 Buildings Program, Sustainable Melbourne Fund operates an investment program that provides loans of up to $500,000 for individual projects that deliver environmental and economic benefits. Since its inception, Sustainable Melbourne Fund has invested $7.7 million in sustainable projects through its investment program. Current status Three environmental upgrade agreements have been signed in Melbourne for projects with a total value of $4.9 million. The retrofits aim to realise a total CO2e- emission saving of 5350 tonnes per year. The projects include installation of a trigeneration system, high-efficiency chillers, cooling towers, lighting system upgrades, heating and air conditioning units and controls, occupancy sensors and double glazing. In late 2011, National Australia Bank (NAB) funded the first privately financed environmental upgrade agreement. This was a significant milestone in that a major bank had recognised the opportunity provided by the financial mechanism and advanced funds to a retrofit project. The Victorian Government’s March 2012 amendment to the City of Melbourne Act 2001 enables property trusts that own multiple properties to participate in environmental upgrade agreements. This amendment significantly extends the reach of the Act and greatly expands the opportunities for the retrofit market created by environmental upgrade finance. The City of Melbourne and Sustainable Melbourne Fund are conducting a series of information sessions to educate and raise awareness in the market of environmental upgrade finance available under the 1200 Buildings Program. To find out more about the 1200 Buildings Program and environmental upgrade finance, go to melbourne.vic.gov.au/1200buildings or contact Michele Leembruggen, Green Building Coordinator at City of Melbourne on 9658 8421 or email miclee@melbourne.vic.gov.au
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green buildings
Your next green solution
A
s a direct result of recent independent research, Ductair has commenced an on-site testing and evaluation process that can measure and assess the performance of existing ducted reverse cycle air conditioning systems. The simple four-step process uses independent testing by trained professionals to identify potential issues. Sophisticated software is then used to analyse the findings and calculate a building’s A/C energy rating. Every office tested is also provided with an Energy Smart comparison report that details potential energy savings, system capacity increase and reductions of greenhouse gas emissions calculated with a Ductair Energy Smart System. Upgrading an inefficient ducted system can significantly boost the performance of the unit and reduce running costs. ‘We have been amazed at the dramatic improvements seen in our test results,’ said Reuben Kelley of Ductair. ‘By simply replacing old flexible ductwork and fittings in a typical home with a new Energy Smart System, we have reliably proven savings of up to 45 per cent on heating and cooling running costs, nearly doubled the
capacity of the total system and typically reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 857 kilograms of CO2 per year’. If all the systems Australia wide were retrofitted with an Energy Smart system, this would translate to a 0.6 per cent reduction in national emissions, equivalent to the savings delivered by a single nuclear power station. With domestic air conditioning representing more than 5 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions (AGO, 2002) the impact of these findings are significant. This is a great opportunity to make some real energy savings. Simply updating old ductwork and fittings to an Energy Smart System means that many offices and homes can improve the efficiency of their old unit, without having to spend thousands to replace it,’ said Mr Kelley.
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Environmental Upgrade Agreements – A catalyst to drive better performing buildings that stimulate economic activity and green jobs
by the office of environment and heritage
An opportunity for local councils and shires nvironmentally upgraded buildings attract investment, boost local jobs, reduce environmental impacts, reduce pressure on infrastructure and increase the competitiveness of local building stock. Environmentally friendly, efficient buildings also attract and retain a better calibre of business to an area and translate to lower vacancy rates. A recent initiative by the New South Wales Government’s Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), Environmental Upgrade Agreements (EUAs) help councils encourage building owners to increase the performance of their building to save water, energy and greenhouse gas emissions. EUAs are now ‘open for business’, and are attracting a growing number of some of the state’s more progressive metropolitan and regional councils.
E
How do EUAs operate? EUAs are underpinned by a three-way agreement between a building owner, a finance provider and a council. The building owner agrees to carry out environmental upgrade works to a building (any works to improve the energy, water or environmental efficiency or sustainability of the building). A finance provider advances the funds to the building owner to finance those environmental works. Meanwhile, the participating council, in whose local government area the building is located, levies the environmental upgrade charge onto the building owner to pass repayments on to the finance provider (minus their processing fees).
In essence, an EUA seeks to encourage owners of older buildings to undertake environmental upgrade works to their building by providing access to funds that are potentially more competitive and longer-term. Being channelled through a council’s existing rates system means that the loan Matthew Fisher, Parramatta City repayment has statutory Council priority and is treated differently to a conventional loan. As finance providers will enjoy a greater level of security and more certainty of timely repayment, they are able to offer more competitive, longer-term rates for larger amounts. The participating council plays an important role as a conduit for the repayment process between the financial provider and the building owner. The council repays to the financial provider the money they receive from the building owner, through their existing rates system. The council is not, however, a party to the loan. A timely initiative EUAs are a timely boost for the property community dealing with high and rising electricity and energy costs, and a growing proportion of ageing building stock. Close to one-fifth of the energy produced in Australia is consumed in buildings and accounts for around 13 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions are growing at three to four per cent per year, due to
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increased space (more offices, shopping centres et cetera) and much more intensive energy use (more hours of working operation, more computers, air conditioning et cetera). Meanwhile, experts predict a doubling in price of electricity between 2011 and 2017. Improving energy efficiency in the building sector is considered to be the most cost-effective greenhouse gas reduction opportunity of any sector in the New South Wales economy. Better efficiency reduces the impact of growing demand on our electricity network and on power prices. It is envisaged that the introduction of Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) of energy efficiency of commercial buildings when they change hands, and increasing electricity prices, will further raise the market’s awareness of building performance. These concerns, coupled with estimates of 81 per cent of Australia’s 21 million square metres of commercial stock being older than 10 years, provide an almost ideal backdrop for EUAs to play a vital role in the years ahead to enable owners to ‘future-proof’ their buildings.
Building owner
Tenants $ saved on utility bills contribute to the environmental upgrade charge
Environmental upgrade charge collected by council
Council
ENVIRONMENTAL UPGRADE AGREEMENT Council passes on repayment to lender
Commercial funds provided to building owner for retro t
Finance provider Fi id Figure 1: The EUAs process
EUAs allow money borrowed for environmental upgrades to be considered as a council charge. This charge becomes a debt thatEnvironmental will run with the land, providing Legislation overcomes barriers upgrade charge additional security for lenders. The Office of Environment and Heritage instigated EUAs collected by council Building win-win-win legislation in February 2011 in response to a need to Tenants Delivering aowner Council The elegant simplicity of the EUAs program is that each encourage greater upgrading or retrofitting of existing, participant benefits markedly whilst contributing to better older buildings. In the past, there have been market long-term environmental performance and reduced costs. $ saved on barriers against building owners taking out such upgrades Building owners are able to access funding for retrofits utility bills on old, inefficient buildings, which can remain standing contribute at a competitive rate, over a longer term and for larger on average for between 30 and 80 years. One of the ENVIRONMENTAL to the through tenant comain barriers is known as ‘split incentive’, whereby environmentalprojects, which they can service UPGRADE contributions. Their sustainable buildings have less of an upgrade charge owners have little incentive to upgrade a building’s energy AGREEMENT impact on the environment and generate better returns. efficiency because the resultant lower electricity costs are Occupants are able to enjoy the productivity and staff enjoyed by occupants, not the owner, under usual leasing retention benefits of a better-performing building Council at no extra arrangements. Commercial cost. passes on funds provided Another barrier, traditionally, is access to capital. repayment For finance providers, EUAs represent taking a to building Finance providers have typically sought repayment on lender that owner for retroposition t leadership with a market-friendly productto offer energy efficiency loans over short periods. While shorter promotes greater investment in retrofitting ageing stock. loans might allow smaller energy efficiency upgrades Because the agreements allow for the finance to be repaid (such as a lighting upgrade), such loans are too short and Finance provider Fi id through a council charge, like rates, they provide long-term potentially too small to conduct larger projects that deliver security for loan repayments. the biggest savings, such as investment in upgrades to airFor councils, environmentally upgraded buildings are conditioning. more likely to attract progressive, world-class businesses,
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whilst reducing pressure on infrastructure and extending the sustainable life of a region’s existing buildings. The upshot of these industry and government entities working together is a program that will deliver long-term benefits to the community as well as generate new ‘green collar’ employment in each local area. Recent research commissioned by Parramatta City Council considered the potential uptake of EUAs in the office building sector. In a region where it is estimated that 65 per cent (by floor area) of ageing building stock could reasonably be expected to take up EUAs, their implementation over eight years to 2020 is estimated to attract $150 million in building upgrades and provide for 148 new full-time jobs. Under the innovative program, building owners can undertake environmental upgrade works at low cost with potential for co-contributions from occupants, who benefit most directly through lower energy bills. At the same time, owners and occupants can lower their operating costs, whilst reinvigorating their buildings, which keeps vacancies and outgoings low. EUAs also help owners to keep buildings competitive to investors and occupants, with research supporting the proposition that employers increasingly demand green tenancies and desirable places to work that promote productivity, which is manifested through improved energy efficiency, waste reduction and indoor air quality. In October 2011, the template agreement was released for EUAs for commercial buildings, including industrial centres, shopping centres, hotels, and health and education facilities. A similar template agreement is now being finalised for residential strata buildings of more than 20 lots, and retail strata buildings. Retrofitting makes business sense The high energy consumption of older and ageing commercial buildings, which were never designed for optimal energy efficiency, means retrofits make very good business sense. A typical building can realise significant energy savings by retrofitting with up-to-date technologies and systems and optimising their operations. Building retrofit projects also benefit local communities by creating jobs as well as extending the useful life of each building within its local area. In its recent findings, the World Economic Forum predicted growing demand for retrofitting: ‘It is rare when a pressing environmental need makes demands on businesses that, rather than costing money, actually saves
‘Over the next 10 years, we estimate in Parramatta that if 65 per cent of buildings upgrade, we can save 472,000 tonnes of CO2 and 1,400,000 kilolitres of water. Meanwhile, outgoings for water and electricity reduce by a staggering $26 million. Parramatta has the unmistakable feel of a place very much in transition, with newer buildings jostling with much older stock. It’s rewarding to see Environmental Upgrade Agreements as helping to fuel this regeneration of Parramatta.’ Matthew Fisher, EUA Co-ordinator, Parramatta City Council them money and enhances their profitability. Retrofitting large buildings for maximum energy efficiency is such a circumstance. The opportunity to catalyse a building retrofit market holds tremendous value for business and government alike.’ Eligible environmental upgrade works Upgrade activities eligible for an EUA include: improving energy or water efficiency, reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions, recycling, pollution prevention or reduction, renewable energy projects, and activities that promote reduced car use, such as showers or bike parking racks. A range of other New South Wales Government programs are available to support building energy efficiency, including NABERS, the Energy Savings Scheme and the business support programs Sustainability Advantage, and Energy Efficiency for Small Business. For a list of participating councils and to find out more about the EUA program, see www.environment.nsw.gov.au/sustainbus/eua.htm Email enquiries go to EUA@environment.nsw.gov.au.
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The Grove
W
estern Australia’s new eco-library and community learning centre, ‘The Grove’, has earned praise for its leadership as a sustainability pioneer, and is recognised as one of the most exciting urban sustainability projects in Australia. The three councils that jointly own and manage The Grove – Town of Cottesloe, Shire of Peppermint Grove and Town of Mosman Park – recognised an opportunity to create an iconic building that would act as a catalyst to educate the community and prepare them for future environmental challenges. The Grove is located in the narrow corridor between the Swan River and the Indian Ocean, on the busy Stirling Highway connecting Perth to Fremantle, and is just 12 kilometres from the Perth CBD. It serves a resident population of 19,000. This is a building that generates its own power, collects its own water and recycles all wastewater on site – because that’s what the community wanted. The project’s impressive architecture and innovative environmentally sustainable design (ESD) features range from renewable energy systems and climate sensitive design, to rainwater harvesting, energy- and water-efficient fixtures, and environmentally sensitive landscaping. And while similar ESD initiatives have been used in other projects, it is the sheer number of leading-edge technologies contained in the one project that is exceptional, with the potential for raising the project to international best practice status.
A priority for The Grove has been to tell a story about the ESD features that have been incorporated into the building through a community education and engagement strategy. An important goal of this strategy is to raise community awareness about smarter energy measures that can be implemented on a domestic scale. The building and landscape itself incorporates viewing ports, interpretive artworks, and extensive interpretive signage on all ESD features so that the public can gain an understanding of the features as they are experiencing them. The Grove regularly hosts sustainability education workshops, events and forums, providing practical information and smart design ideas for the community to incorporate into their own lifestyles. Partnerships with diverse sustainability organisations have greatly extended the programming, and information-sharing networks with state and local government agencies and universities have further enhanced the reach of the community education strategy, making The Grove a true place of inspiration, innovation and learning. The three councils that built The Grove have a long history of collaboration. Cottesloe and Peppermint Grove have provided a combined library service from one jointly owned building since 1967, with Mosman Park participating from 1975.
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The total cost of the project was approximately $18 In 2002, it became apparent that the existing library building was no longer adequate. After some years of public million, including the co-located Shire of Peppermint Grove’s administration centre. The library is 1220 square consultation, the three councils entered into an agreement metres, with an additional 200 square metres in community in 2007 that established the Project Control Group (PCG), spaces. made up of the mayors and CEOs of each council, The ultimate achievement is a tangible, working, ‘green’ to oversee the construction of a new joint community building that is an ongoing inspiration to the community. precinct, with the library as the anchor facility. The precinct It has won widespread industry recognition, including the also includes the administration offices of the Shire of 2011 Australian Institute of Architects (WA Chapter) Walter Peppermint Grove, a new Community Learning Centre, a Greenham Sustainable Architecture Award for architects dedicated child health facility, library café, breakout areas, Cox Howlett and Bailey Woodland, and the Landscape and extensive landscaping. Industries Association WA Awards of Excellence 2011, for The architects at Cox Howlett and Bailey Woodland Newforms Landscape Architects. initially designed a ‘basic’ green building, but when The Commission for Climate the three councils sought Change chose The Grove for its community comment, they Perth Community Conversation, received a loud and clear The ultimate achievement is held in August 2011. Climate message that residents wanted a tangible, working, ‘green’ . Commissioner Tim Flannery to include as many green building that is an ongoing acknowledged The Grove’s features as possible. innovative features, and was Brian Kavanagh, Chair of inspiration to the community. particularly impressed that it the PCG and President of the ‘represents the will of the people’. Shire of Peppermint Grove Most recently, The Grove has (2007 to 2011), says, ‘The received national recognition through the National Awards three councils recognised early on that they had a one-off for Local Government, winning the Energy Smart category opportunity to create something that would have a positive for 2012. long-term effect on the way people lived their lives in the The most important accolades, however, are the ones future.’ where the community has voted with their feet: per annum In response, the PCG assembled an impressive visits to the library have nearly doubled, and the library now multidisciplinary project team that could deliver a complex, attracts a wide spectrum of visitors across all age groups, fully integrated sustainable system, including high-profile including youth. The new Learning Centre has attracted environmentalist Josh Byrne working in collaboration with over 12,000 visits since opening, with several community Murdoch University’s Environmental Technology Centre. groups calling The Grove ‘home’, including the West Coast Josh says, ‘There were going to be regulatory hurdles and Community Centre, which offers an extensive program of challenges to address, given the leading-edge nature of the lectures, workshops and leisure activities to its more than rainwater and wastewater systems. Ongoing support from 500 current members. the three councils and local community was critical – it’s Users of The Grove experience for themselves the easy for things to fall over at the first obstacle if genuine many readily apparent energy saving features, including support and championing doesn’t exist.’ the floor vents delivering air at a constant temperature The Commonwealth Government recognised the cooled or warmed by the underfloor thermal mass system; potential of the proposed design by approving the air-conditioning assisted by water drawn from the cool maximum grant of $1.5 million available under the Green aquifer below, passed through a heat exchanger, and rePrecincts Program to underwrite the ESD features; The injected; blinds that lower in response to direct sunlight; Grove is one of only 13 projects funded nationally, and and the overhead clerestory, which allows diffused natural the only project to receive funding in Western Australia. daylight to replace electric energy usage. Less obvious The Final Report to Green Precincts can be found on their are the passive energy saving features, including optimal website. site orientation and double glazing; and the Building Lotterywest also provided support, which was used for Management System, which, for example, automatically the fit-out of the Community Learning Centre.
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checks the weather forecast to ‘decide’ whether to open the underground louvres to allow cooling night ventilation, and monitors and calibrates all of the security, electrical, ventilation, lighting, hydraulic and mechanical systems used throughout the building. The building is designed to be ‘off the scheme’ for town water and sewerage, except for periods when rainwater collection is insufficient to meet internal needs, or for overflow events. The landscape, featuring mainly native Western Australian plants, is watered and fertilised from grey, yellow and brown water treated on-site. The site is also a major catchment of storm water, which is filtered and treated naturally in sedge beds, removing nutrients, suspended solids and heavy metals before natural discharge to the aquifer below. Environmental considerations extended to the recycling of 80 per cent of demolition materials, low carbon footprint and recycled landscape features and interior furnishings, flexibility of internal fixtures to allow re-purposing of the space as needs change, green cleaning and use of recycled and low-carbon footprint office supplies, and encouraging the use of sustainable transport by providing end-of-trip facilities such as showers and ample space for bicycle parking.
Josh Byrne continues to be an enthusiastic ambassador for the project, and says that the pioneering building will provide all the inspiration homeowners will need to reduce their environmental footprints. As well as leading many tours of the building in person, Josh’s virtual tour of the building, also available on the Grove Precinct website, has the potential to reach a national and global audience. Curtin University has produced a teaching DVD about The Grove for its built environment students, and students continue to visit the building as part of their studies. Groups of overseas students have also been hosted at The Grove, in association with the University of Western Australia. Murdoch University has been using the building as a working demonstration and teaching tool for its students, and several students have submitted assessable assignments on the energy-saving features of The Grove. Murdoch University is also facilitating ongoing industry forums and developing a research program for their students to enable ongoing information sharing about the outcomes of The Grove. Numerous council and building industry groups, including architects, engineers, environmental scientists, academics and students have requested and been granted extensive tours of the facility since commissioning; many have indicated that they are about to embark upon major projects in their own communities, and are looking to The Grove to help them to respond to the aspirations of their residents/clients for a greener future. The Grove was officially opened on 21 March 2011 by The Hon Simon Crean MP, Federal Minister for Regional Australia and Local Government. Also in attendance was the Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett MLA. The Grove showcases what is possible by bringing together cutting-edge environmental design and bold architecture to create a place of learning, innovation and beauty. Further information about The Grove can be found at www.thegroveprecinct.com.
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Natural ventilation: helping buildings breathe
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he demand for energy savings and sustainability has seen building designers and occupiers look to nature for inspiration. Rather than using mechanical ventilation or air conditioning to create suitable working environments, leading architects, engineers and builders have been finding ways to harness existing elements from nature. This utilisation of natural ventilation is delivering cost savings in construction, operation and maintenance, while also benefiting the internal working environment and overall sustainability of the building. The benefits of natural ventilation – a quick summary • reduced installation costs compared to mechanical ventilation • pressure relief for the building allows structural engineers to reduce the amount of steel needed • performance calculations and cfd modeling ensures quantifiable results • improved energy efficiency — reducing energy costs by harnessing the natural forces of heat and wind • increased reliability and reduced operation and maintenance costs usually associated with mechanical ventilation • improvement in internal working environments and OH&S through the introduction of fresh air into buildings • A focus on embracing nature rather than working against it. Embracing the natural movement of air The growing shift towards utilising the natural movement of air and heat through buildings has seen a complete rethink of design principles — which means architects and engineers are now looking at building design holistically in terms of lifecycle and performance. Natural ventilation experts such as IVR Group are working with them, adopting a scientific approach that takes geography, building design and use, weather and wind patterns, moisture levels and solar radiation levels into account. Because of rising energy costs, the return on investment for the installation of natural ventilation is becoming increasingly high. New innovative designs and engineering techniques have changed the industry dramatically — enabling suppliers to provide effective natural ventilation solutions that are tailored to each individual building.
Group are now proving the capability of natural ventilation to engineers and building designers, by showing real results based on scientific findings — giving designers quantifiable performance, and making the intangible tangible. The investment by companies such as IVR Group in CFD (computerised fluid dynamics) modelling software and performance-based calculations has allowed their consultants to determine air flow movement and performance in all types of industrial, commercial, mining, infrastructure and community projects. Understanding the science behind natural ventilation has allowed suppliers to deliver reliable air flow rates for buildings — even on the stillest of days — by using the characteristics of changes in heat and air pressures. In addition to performance testing, IVR Group has engaged CSIRO to test that their ventilators are fit for reliable, weatherproof performance — even in extremely harsh conditions. Known coefficient of discharges has allowed structural engineers to utilise the pressure, relieving properties of their ventilators to reduce structural steel. This allows project cost savings, and reduces the carbon footprint of buildings at the same time. A simple choice The variety of buildings taking advantage of this rediscovered art is dramatically increasing. From assisting industry to ventilate the high heat loads and humidity associated with machinery and operations; finding smoke hazard management solutions for libraries, warehouses and shopping centres; to ensuring that thousands of children were provided with clean fresh air as part of the federal government’s Building Education Revolution program, natural ventilation and IVR Group have developed a strong reputation in finding ways for buildings to breathe. Building designers, with the help of companies such as IVR Group, are driving the shift away from fighting nature to working with it, and the sustainability gains are real. With gains in environmental, financial and workplace health and safety arising from the use of natural ventilation in an ever increasingly demanding economy and climate, making the choice to go natural has never been simpler. To speak to the experts at IVR Group about how natural ventilation could benefit your next project, call us today on 02 4677 7300, or email us at info@ivrgroup.com.au.
Making the intangible tangible Natural extract systems are no longer just about sticking ventilators on a roof. Ventilation specialists such as IVR 44••THE theAUSTRALIAN australianLOCAL localGOVERNMENT governmentENVIRONMENT environmentYEARBOOK yearbook2012 2012 X
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Award-winning facility manager achieves 6 star result for
Brisbane City Council
by the office of environment and heritage
The Brisbane City Council’s ‘Clean, Green City’ carbon-neutral vision for 2026 has made the environmental sustainability of Council’s new headquarters a top priority.
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he Green Square South Tower in Brisbane, Queensland, now stands as a market-leading example of the sustainable results achievable using NABERS ratings. NABERS is a government initiative to measure and compare the environmental performance of a building against its market. The goal of NABERS is to encourage innovation and market best practice to achieve positive environmental outcomes that improve sustainability in the built environment. In February 2009, as sole tenants of Green Square South Tower, Brisbane City Council made a commitment through the national CitySwitch Green Office Program to achieve a NABERS Energy rating of 4.5 stars. The council achieved this goal in 2010, receiving 5.5 stars. By 2011, the building had attained the highest accolade possible under NABERS: a rating of 6 stars, setting an important precedent for other commercial buildings throughout Queensland.
Neil Wood, Senior Facilities Manager Green Square Precinct, explains that the success of South Tower is due to high-level cooperation and information sharing between all parties. ‘We induct all new staff,’ said Neil. ‘We tell them this is a green building and this is what you have to do in terms of water, energy and recycling.’ Neil Wood’s commitment to consistently improving the sustainability of South Tower has been the driving force behind the 6 stars. ‘I start work at 6 am, I’m on call 24/7 and I go through the logs daily to ensure we’re on target,’ he said. ‘I changed the lighting timings and rewired the lighting runs so staff can turn on a bank directly over their workspace, rather than illuminating the entire floor.’ Neil has also introduced separate air-conditioning units across different building zones to further improve South Tower’s NABERS Energy rating. ‘NABERS is a great tool for facilities managers to operate on,’ Neil said. ‘The NABERS team is always a phone call away to offer sustainability advice. It generates awareness amongst staff. You have to tune your building like you tune your car.’ In recognition of his commitment and outstanding achievements at Green Square, Neil was awarded the
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Facility Management Association (FMA) of Australia’s Facilities Manager of the Year Award in 2011. The award recognises leadership in facilities management throughout Australia. Green Square South Tower has proved to be a success for Brisbane City Council in terms of meeting its goals. The building aligns with Council’s vision to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2026. The rating for the building is enhanced from 5 stars by the purchase of GreenPower, which reduces the carbon emissions of their electricity use. Furthermore, it has allowed a governing body to set a positive example to office tenants across Brisbane. With a strong push towards citywide carbon neutrality in the near future, Brisbane City Council has set an important sustainability benchmark for the property industry, inspiring other businesses to participate in the CitySwitch program and to spread a wider understanding of sustainability. Completed in October 2007, the $120 million Green Square South Tower comprises 17,700 square metres of office space over five levels, in addition to a gymnasium and a retail plaza. In recognition of Australian excellence in office design, Green Square South Tower was awarded Queensland’s first 5 Star Green Star – Office Design v2 certification from the Green Building Council of Australia. South Tower also achieved a 5 Star Green Star – Office As Built v2 rating, maintaining its position at the top of its game. The initial environmentally sustainable design measures carried through to the operational phase of the building’s life, enabling Brisbane City Council as tenants to focus on practical daily habits for reduced water and energy consumption, and increasingly lower greenhouse gas
Neil Wood (second from left) accepting the Facilities Manager of the Year Award
emissions. The council now benefits directly in terms of lower electricity and water bills, not to mention positive press and the pride instilled within all staff members through knowing that they’re doing their part to help the environment in measurable ways. The successful energy saving measures incorporated into the design of Green Square South Tower include: • gas hot water • lighting measures • energy efficient T5 lamps for office lighting • separate switching for perimeter lighting to enable use of natural daylight • movement sensors attached to amenities, lifts and foyer lighting • lighting grid increased, resulting in less light fixtures • electric lighting density less than two watts per square metre per 100 lux • manually operated after-hours lights • air conditioning • air handling units separated into zones • isolation of unoccupied areas to reduce air conditioning requirements • set building temperature of 23.5 degrees, regulated passively by changing airflow across the office floor • insulated ceilings • air conditioning load reduced through night purge • automatic peak operating times for air conditioning • reduced supply air quantities and fan power conservation through low space humidity • CO2 sensors control outside air quantity to minimise air conditioning load. In addition to inbuilt sustainable design mechanisms, the commendable energy and water saving results achieved by Brisbane City Council exist as a testament to diligent staff involvement and an effective ongoing building management system to verify progress. Green Square South Tower has proven to be a resounding success for Brisbane City Council, helping to inspire other Queensland businesses to focus on measured progress in environmental sustainability under the NABERS program.
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corporate profile
Managing risk – natural hazards in today’s environment Recent events in Australia have demonstrated the substantial damage that can be done by natural hazards, and have highlighted the potential risks to infrastructure from rock fall, slope failures, shallow landslides and debris flows. While it can be a challenge to identify high-risk areas, it can be even more difficult to select appropriate protection and mitigation systems, and design them with confidence.
TECCO® slope stabilisation system in Mt Tamborine QLD
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wiss company Geobrugg AG, the world leader in the design and manufacture of Geohazard Solutions, has recently established a manufacturing plant in Perth to supply mining and civil engineering clients in Australia and New Zealand. Located in Malaga, in Perth’s northern suburbs, the plant was commissioned in September 2011 and doubled its output capacity in April 2012. The 1000 square metre production area provides the potential to meet growing demand in the future, and was officially opened in May 2012 by Mr Otto H. Suhner, the Chairman of the Board and main shareholder of the privately owned Swiss company BRUGG Group, which Geobrugg forms part of. The company already has manufacturing plants in Europe, North America, China and Japan. Geobrugg have been providing Geohazard solutions for over 60 years, and their expertise and experience has driven the development of new, reliable and innovative flexible rock fall, debris flow and landslide barriers, as well as slope stabilisation systems and rockfall netting.
Geobrugg are unique in that all their systems utilise mesh that is manufactured from high tensile wire that has a tensile strength of 1770 MPa (N/mm2) This is more than three times the strength compared to traditional mild steel wire, which is between 350 – 450N/mm². The use of the high tensile wire enables Geobrugg’s systems to be of a high strength, whilst still being flexible and lightweight. All of their systems are rigorously 1:1 field tested before being released to market, and whilst confirming their suitability for applications, it also provides confidence to customers, as testing is carried out by independent authorities. One such test occurred in October 2011, when in conjunction with the WSL (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research), Geobrugg set a new world record for flexible rockfall barriers by stopping a concrete block weighing 20 tonnes, which was travelling over 100 kilometres per hour. The impact energy was 8000 kilojoules, exceeding the previous limit for high performance rockfall barriers of 5000 kilojules by 60 per cent.
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Rockfall A common method for minimising risk from rockfall involves covering the area with rockfall netting, creating what is referred to as a drape. A drape works by containing and controlling falling rocks, so that they accumulate at the base of a slope. Geobrugg’s DELTAX® G80/2 mesh is perfectly suited for this type of application. As DELTAX® G80/2 is manufactured from two-millimetre high tensile wire, it is more than 50 per cent lighter than conventional rockfall netting, as well as being slightly stronger. One of the biggest advantages of the mesh is the aesthetics; the twomillimetre wire is almost invisible on slopes, compared to conventional netting, which is five millimetres. Another method used to reduce the risk from rockfall hazards involves stabilising an area to restrict rockfall from occurring in the first place. This is achieved by drilling and installing soil or rock nails or anchors across the slope at a predetermined spacing, and then covering it with mesh. Any pressure exerted on the mesh from loose material is transferred back into the ground via the nail or anchors through a special plate, providing support and stabilisation. Geobrugg’s TECCO® Slope Stabilisation system is used throughout Australia to stabilise both rock and soil slopes. It is frequently used as an alternative to shotcrete, and is considered to be a green alternative. This is because grass or shrubs can grow through the mesh, which is considered
Rockfall netting / rockfall drape using the Geobrugg DELTAX® G80/2 mesh, near Adelaide SA
Rockfall barrier TXI-010 (up to 100 kJ inpact energy capacity) in Townsville QLD on Castle Hill
World record test of the 8,000kj energy capacity rockfall barrier in Switzerland. official test for European approval
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The approval process also looks at the production process and the quality of the manufactured components; this is equally as important as the field testing, to ensure the quality of the systems is consistent. to be much more pleasing on the eye. Furthermore, there is no risk of water pressure building up behind as the mesh forms an open facing structure. Rockfall barriers are intended to stop individual boulders with a defined kinetic energy. They have been in use since as early as 1962, and are now commonly used worldwide where it is uneconomic to stabilise slopes themselves. Geobrugg manufactures barriers for a full range of impact energies from as low as 35 kilojoules, up to 8000 kilojoules. The performance of their barriers have all been independently verified and approved through field testing, to
either the European ETAG 27 guidelines or the Swiss BAFU standards. Both have been established to ensure greater transparency, and consequently, testing of rock fall barriers must be carried out by an independent testing authority approved by the government bodies. The approval process also looks at the production process and the quality of the manufactured components; this is equally as important as the field testing, to ensure the quality of the systems is consistent. Always ask a supplier to show you the official document from either the Swiss (BAFU) or the European (EOTA) governmental approval body to ensure the barrier has the official approval, and not just a certification from an institution.
Landslides Recent research and development by Geobrugg has enabled flexible landslide and debris flow barriers to be designed, specified and installed with confidence, due to an advanced understanding of the behaviour of both the landslide material and velocities, and of the barriers themselves. Debris flows and shallow landslides behave very differently to rock falls, and whilst rock falls tend to involve discrete blocks falling at high velocities, debris flows and shallow landslides involve a triggered mass of water, mud and rock, which is typically distributed over a much wider area. It is critical to understand the differences between the two when trying to design barriers that deal with the type of hazard successfully and in a cost-effective manner. Test of a landslide barrier in Switzerland in conjunction with a research project together with the Swiss Goverment So, finally in Australia, railway, civil and geotechnical engineers may now specify solutions that can be tailored to each potential type of risk – something that has not been possible previously. As the market leader, Geobrugg can customise designs to suit individual needs, as well as providing support during installation. All their systems are validated by either official government bodies with approvals, or independent testing bodies, so that clients and consultants can have confidence that they will perform in real-life situations as Test of a landslide barrier in Switzerland in conjunction with a research project together with the Swiss Goverment intended.
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TECCO® - an engineered slope stabilisation system The TECCO® slope stabilisation system is an active stabilisation method, that is a cost effective and green alternative to shotcrete: • Superior corrosion protection for long
design life • Slope can be revegetated • Simple, fast installation • Can be dimensioned using the specially developed dimensioning concept RUVOLUM® Contact us for more information or to request the RUVOLUM® 7.0 software. Scan to watch our TECCO® movie
Geobrugg Australia Pty Ltd 14 Century Road, Malaga WA 6090 Phone: +61 8 9249 9939 • Fax: +61 8 9249 9949 www.geobrugg.com.au • info@geobrugg.com Regional offices in: Sydney NSW • Phone: +61 400 845 289 South Melbourne VIC • Phone: +61 488 044 708 Cairns QLD • Phone: +61 408 774 059
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Local government sustainability – it’s a journey, not a
destination!
BY rebecca jones, local government and Shires Associations of NSW, and Grahame collier, T Issues consultancy
The Urban Sustainability Support Alliance (USSA), a partnership formed between seven organisations, coined the tag line ‘Supporting councils on the journey towards sustainability’ for good reason.
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he four-year project, coordinated by the Local Government and Shires Associations of New South Wales (LGSA), and funded by the New South Wales Environmental Trust, provided councils with extensive high-quality and effective support. Despite the positive findings from a recent review of the project, four years of support is not yet enough. Social change of the depth required to move the New South Wales community and its businesses, governments and agencies towards sustainability is huge. While we might not realise it yet, living sustainably is at least as significant as other social changes, for example multiculturalism and the
women’s movement. Local government is integral to this process – through the services, programs and modelling it provides, the infrastructure it manages directly and through its approval process, and via the leadership it demonstrates within its community. Change of the magnitude required for a sustainable future can be prompted by local government, but requires time and capacity, ongoing commitment, energy and support. The sustainability journey for local government, and the support required to continue, is still as important as ever, even a few years into the journey. What’s been achieved by the USSA? (The following findings are adapted from the project evaluation report ‘Supporting the Sustainability Journey in Local Government’ (Collier, G. (2011)). USSA assisted councils in developing, clarifying and promoting a sustainability vision and an agenda for action. The USSA has had a significant level of influence CONTINUED ON PAGE 56
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on progressing sustainability in local government. For example, one respondent, reflecting the views of many, said: ‘It was catalytic through its presence and the activity that it made happen.’ Almost 80 per cent of New South Wales councils responded to a survey about the project, and more than 70 per cent of these councils indicated that the USSA had raised the profile of sustainability ‘a lot’/‘a reasonable amount’. USSA cultivated networks and alliances of those working to innovate and make change. The USSA delivered events and networks that enabled people to meet and to communicate – to share ideas and approaches to integrating sustainability within council business. For example: ‘All the USSA events provide the opportunity to meet and reconnect with staff at other councils, who we otherwise may not ever meet or exchange ideas with. Local government needs crossfertilisation between organisations to drive innovation and cultural change.’ USSA identified, conducted and promoted relevant research that was of value to local government. The research aspects of the USSA project were valued and reflected upon positively by those who engaged with the program; although, this element of the program was probably less known than others. The publication ‘Barriers & Drivers to Sustainability in Local Government’ (Pillora S, Blackburn N, Artist S, (2009)) was found to be overall highly valuable. It seemed, though, that some councils
– often those less advanced on the journey – found the research beyond their level of need. USSA promoted learning through professional development/training, advice and support. For almost all of the 2076 local government personnel who attended USSA training, feedback was highly positive. For example, one respondent said: ‘[training was] fantastic and a very valuable mechanism for pushing staff towards sustainability.’ Another commented: ‘The training has given our sustainability program a significant boost. It would probably take some years to achieve that level of communication and support for sustainability without the training.’ What’s still left to do? While a considerable amount has been achieved by the Urban Sustainability Support Alliance Project, there has been no suggestion that the job is done and that councils have completed ‘the journey’. Even the handful of councils who are ‘quite well advanced’ [17 per cent] or ‘well advanced’ [six per cent], gave no sense that the work was ended or that the support needs were redundant. For councils at the earlier stage of the journey, there is significant evidence that continuing support is required. The following quote summarises the views of many: ‘I hope that it is possible to either continue the USSA in its current form or similar, as I think local councils need the support of a body such as this. As I mentioned earlier, most council staff I know are keen and able to consider sustainability as a higher priority than it is currently, but need support and advice on how to shift attitudes and views of executive management.’ Smaller councils have particular needs for support, and there are significant findings about options for providing this level of support more appropriately. Often the problem is not with the commitment to sustainability, but with its practice: ‘In smaller councils we are not lacking the ideas – we are not lacking the
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commitment or the willingness. We’re lacking the people and the dollars.’ Priority actions Delivery of training on environmental sustainability for councillors, council executives and managers. Sustainability training has the potential to be expanded both to attract more councillors and to move beyond the introductory level. It is essential that council training about sustainability reflects the Integrated Planning and Reporting [IP&R] Framework (Integrated Planning and Reporting Guidelines Jan 2010), and focuses on the quadruple bottom line. It is also important that at a minimum, all new councillors are provided with this training immediately following the election cycle. As far as council staff are concerned, it is important to continue to offer training tailored to individual council needs and to include examples of tools/case studies that councils are using to monitor, evaluate and report on sustainability progress. Equally, though, a workshop series must be developed that assists councils who have already progressed well on the sustainability journey to take the next steps forward. Making ongoing changes at greater depth is essential to achieving sustainability targets and goals. Enhanced mentoring activity between councils and for council staff, extended networking and support activity It is time for council staff to learn from each other. For example, there is a need to consider and implement a variety of options to bring this about: • Council-to-council mentoring: councils paired with a similar council and offered mentoring support. Council mentoring via a short-term contract with a professional mentor in sustainability. This option may require the development of an accredited mentors system. • Provision of short-term ‘hands-on’ assistance, through an allocated staffing mechanism, where an officer level contractor is made available for a short period of time to assist the council to get some sustainability actions happening. • Establishment and maintenance of networks is important. Into the future, existing sustainability networks must be supported and expanded. There is a need for a councillors network to be established so that those interested in sustainability can learn from each other and support each other. There is also a need to expand the regional networking model into the future – possibly through regional organisations of councils.
• A new series of case studies, tools and resources. Additional resources need to be developed that continue to promote ideas and sustainability practices that can be used in resource-poor councils. The future! An exciting new project titled ‘Accelerating Sustainability’ will kick off mid-2012. The project builds on the lessons learned from the USSA project. Again coordinated by the LGSA, it will use organisation-wide sustainability training, master classes for sustainability practitioners, a knowledge brokering service and best practice case studies to strengthen councils’ abilities to implement sustainable policies and programs. Training will engage senior management and councillors, and will focus on regional and rural councils. New South Wales councils will be invited to participate through an EOI process, and we are expecting a healthy response. We hope that support programs such as those developed by the Urban Sustainability Support Alliance will be offered in other states as well, and that the lessons learned will ensure that we can accelerate movement towards sustainability in local government. References Collier G. 2011 ‘Supporting the Sustainability Journey in Local Government’ Pillora S, Blackburn N, Arist S, 2009 ‘Barriers & Drivers to Sustainability in Local Government’
About the authors Rebecca Jones is the Senior Policy Officer – Sustainability at the Local Government and Shires Associations of New South Wales. See www.lgsa.org.au. Grahame Collier is the Director of T Issues Consultancy, and he undertook an evaluation of the USSA for the Local Government and Shires Associations. See www.tissues.com.au.
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A green planting solution
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he problem with plastic is that it never biodegrades. The vast majority of plastic pots end up in landfill, creating a potential environmental issue decades from now, or even centuries from now. There is a solution and that’s to make the switch to biodegradable pots. There are several forms of biodegradable pots coming onto the market, but there aren’t many that you plant pot and all. Pot’n all® pots and tubes are made from coir (coconut fibre), a by-product of coconut production. The fibre is derived from plantations in Sri Lanka, one of the world’s most prolific coconut producers. The fibre is formed into large sheets and bound together by a thin coating of rubber latex, also derived from plantation crops.
The result is a product that’s ready to plant, produced from 100 per cent renewable resources and becomes compost instead of landfill. That’s the environmental side of the story. The real bonus is that Pot’n all® is quick and easy to plant. There’s no pot to remove and no plastic to dispose of. By not removing the plant from the pot, there are several benefits. These include significant time saving in planting, no root disturbance and no transplant shock. The roots embed themselves in the wall of the pot and await planting into surrounding soil. Once planted, the roots grow straight through the pot wall and the plant happily grows while the pot begins the bio-disintegration process. Root development is excellent since the roots are airpruned and stop growing once they see light. In a darkened plastic pot, the roots hit the pot wall and travel to the base of the pot. If left long enough, the roots begin to girdle and you end up with root-bound plants, which is not good when planting larger shrubs and trees. Above ground, the pots last a considerable period of time, anything from six to nine months for a small tube, through to two or more years for large pots. Pots will weather and grow ‘fuzzier’ with age, giving them an even more natural look. Once planted, the pots break down in a similar time frame, but much faster when the ground is moist and has lots of bacterial activity happening. Pot’n all® comes in various sizes, starting from 40-millimetre tubes of varying heights through to 20-centimetre pots. Larger pot sizes are available on indent. Enquiries: Ramm Botanicals, 255 Pacific Highway, Kangy Angy, NSW 2258 Tel: 02 4351 2050 Tel: 02 4351 2050 Email: potnall@ramm.com.au Website: www.potnall.com.au Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/potnall
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environment + sustainability
Local councils preparing for a price on carbon BY Cr Bill McArthur, President, Municipal Association of Victoria
In 2011, the Australian Government passed its carbon price framework and legislation package, Securing a Clean Energy Future. The goal of this package is to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions through the combination of a carbon price (a cost per tonne of greenhouse gas emitted) and complementary measures, such as investment in energy efficiency.
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espite general support from Victorian local government to help transition to a low carbon economy, there are significant challenges and impacts on costs for the sector, and questions about how these will be financed. Councils preparing for a carbon price – challenges and solutions This year the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) undertook a local government-first survey to better understand the financial effects of the carbon price on the sector. Thirty-eight Victorian councils responded across the categories of metropolitan, interface, rural and regional. Our analysis, which assumed full cost pass-through from suppliers, showed that expenses for local government are likely to rise from 0.3 to 1.9 per cent with a median of 0.8 per cent. Potential flow-on increases to council rates are expected to range between 0.7 and 3.3 per cent, with a median of 1.5 per cent. This means that if all council cost increases were to be collected through rates, which is unlikely, it would result in an average ratepayer increase of around $22 a year, or 42 cents a week. Victorian councils were some of the first in the country to better understand their emissions profile and start acting to reduce their carbon emissions. Yet the inherent uncertainty in accurately forecasting the sectoral impacts of a price on carbon is posing significant challenges.
The carbon price is expected to primarily impact on local government’s electricity, gas and petrol costs; the generation of municipal waste; and construction costs. The survey sought councils’ consumption of, and costs for, standing energy across a range of uses, including street lighting, recreation and aquatic centres as well as other council buildings and sites. Analysis of councils’ energy consumption costs showed that the carbon price would add around 0.4 per cent to rates, 0.25 per cent to expenses and 18 per cent to standing energy costs in year one. Impacts for some councils will be offset by the use of green power and other energy efficiency measures planned, or already in place, to reduce municipal exposure to the carbon price. For over a decade, Victorian councils have been actively working to lower their greenhouse gas emissions, and two-thirds have now adopted a formal greenhouse gas mitigation strategy. The local government sector has been at the forefront of responding to climate change challenges and opportunities – implementing innovative solutions to reduce both energy and landfill costs and emissions, and assisting the community to reduce their emissions. Actions have included changes to vehicle fleets, improved building and street lighting energy efficiency, landfill methane gas capture, green purchasing programs and use of green power.
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One example of innovation to reduce emissions is Boroondara City Council’s installation of a cogeneration plant at the Ashburton Pool and Recreation Centre, creating electricity on site and using excess heat energy to heat the building, water for showers and the pool. They’ve also initiated energy efficiency measures and photovoltaic solar cells to substantially reduce emissions from this high energy-consuming municipal facility. Some of the electricity generated at the pool is also being supplied to adjacent community facilities. Boroondara Mayor, Cr Heinz Kruetz, says it was the first major step that the council had taken. ‘It’s an important first step for a local carbon future strategy that stretches 10, 20, 30 years into the future, because it sets the context for what’s to come,’ he said. At Mornington Peninsula Shire, a recent cost/benefit analysis of options to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions has informed a Carbon Reduction Strategy for the council. Kevin Clarke, Director of Finance, is pleased that they got ahead of the game and started preparing for the carbon price early. ‘We’ve done some excellent work in terms of reducing our carbon footprint, and whilst I don’t yet understand every aspect of the financial implications of carbon pricing, we’re going to have to pay at some stage, so I’m pleased we’ve started early. ‘The feasibility study shows that there’s a lot of good that can be achieved by spending only a small amount of money. We can reduce our carbon footprint in the building area by eight per cent by spending a little over $50,000. ‘To get a similar outcome though installing LED lighting in public toilets, we have to spend nearly five times as much, so you can assess through this process the cost/ benefit of each of the various alternatives,’ he said. Carbon price impacts on direct fuel costs will also affect councils, depending on the extent to which they undertake
their own infrastructure construction, maintenance works and waste services. To address rising fuel costs, Casey City Council has committed to greening their garbage truck fleet through the inclusion of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks. The Isuzu CNG trucks they’ve chosen will deliver significant savings in emissions over diesel counterparts and are reportedly one of the cleanest trucks available. The council has also completed a similar cost/benefit analysis of various options to identify other ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Nicola Ward, Environment Manager at Casey, said that part of their Council Plan is to achieve an environmentally sustainable Casey, and one of the actions under that was to develop ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. ‘Council officers determined that rather than doing that in an ad-hoc way, we actually needed an emissions management plan to really understand the most costeffective ways of reducing council emissions.’ So economic analysis of different activities that the council could undertake to reduce its emissions produced a roadmap to guide future actions. According to Ward, it gave the council a sense of what actions are cost-positive: those that are actually going to save some money, what actions are cost-neutral, or those that may be cost-negative. ‘We can get a sense of what the payback period is over time, and that gives us a good range of activities to look at. This will help us to work out the most effective way of using council resources in an efficient way to get the maximum greenhouse gas benefits,’ she said. Meanwhile, Bass Coast Shire is experiencing the benefits of a whole-of-organisation approach to carbon management. Hannah Duncan-Jones, Bass Coast’s Director of Environment and Planning, said that with any change management approach you need to work out the ‘what’s in it for me’ factor to get the right people involved and engaged in the process. ‘Using this approach, we were then able to get a really good commitment to put the right people into a committee that would work across the organisation, dedicated to ensuring that we were going to have the best response to carbon accounting that we could possibly have.’ To support the activities of councils, the MAV produced ‘The Victorian Local Government Guide to Carbon Emissions Reduction’ in 2010 to help create a shared understanding of the new carbon management landscape, CONTINUED ON PAGE 64 the australian local government environment yearbook 2012 • 61
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environment + sustainability
The best in recycled rubber flooring
W
hen you want the best performing rubber floor matting, safety products and ramps for every industrial, commercial and residential application imaginable, insist on ENVIRO RUBBER, where you get a quality product made by an innovative Australian-owned company. And because we manufacture from recycled tyres, less waste ends up in our environment. Our recycled rubber can be moulded into just about any shape, or to suit any task where cost, durability, safety, quality and flexibility are important considerations. This includes a variety of requirements for comfort and safety around the home, high traffic applications in factories, retail outlets, transportation and material handling facilities, and much much more. We are committed to a complete ‘made to measure’ service, which means you receive the product that’s
perfectly suited to your exact requirements. With more than 20 years’ industry experience we can provide all the advice you need in obtaining the must suitable product from our extensive range. ENVIRO RUBBER’S wedges and ramps are the perfect access solution for people who rely on wheelchairs or walking frames for mobility. • Ideal for doorways, entrance doors, sliding doors, raised areas, and suitable for shower recesses. • Our ramps are very stable – will not slip or curl, reducing the risk of trips and falls. • The ramps are weather resistant, which makes them perfect for outdoor use. • Extremely tough and long lasting. The ramps are easy to handle and install, and are of course made from 100 per cent recycled rubber. • Custom made to order or standard sizes, and can be made with curbing or wings, which prevents slipping off the sides. Enviro Car Park Kerbing Lightweight, recycled rubber moulded sections take the place of concrete curbing – so our Enviro Car Park Kerbs save you money and avoid damage to vehicles, ideal for parking bays at home or work. Our car park kerb sections also mean huge savings on handling, freight and installation and are easily installed, long lasting and unaffected by weather. • Available in 800 x 120 x 100 millimetres (high) and 1650 x 120 x 100 (high)
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ENVIRO PLAYGROUND MATTING Cable and Hose Protectors Our Enviro Cable and Hose Protector is designed to be used where cables need to cross pedestrian walkways. The sections interlock for additional stability. Economical and easy to work with, sections can be glued or bolted for permanent applications. They are lightweight and easy to handle – perfect for temporary installations at sports, concert venues, construction sites etc. • Size 1000 x 350 x 60 millimetres (high) Cable Channel: 80 x 40 millimetres Playground and Gymnasium Pavers Ideal for playground areas – private and commercial – cost effective and are excellent for gymnasiums as impact tiles for operator’s comfort, also reducing machine vibrations and protecting existing flooring. Standard unit comes in 1000 x 1000 x 15 millimetres, can be butted together to cover any area size.
Our Enviro Playground Matting can be made to measure in various lengths and widths of up to seven metres x two metres x 10 millimetres, and one metre x one metre x 15-millimetre pavers. The recommended thickness of 10 millimetres will suit most applications where a cover for rough or uneven surface is required. Our Enviro Playground Matting can be laid on tanbark, grass, concrete, bitumen or any other stable surface to give a clean, consistent finish. We make standard Enviro Playground Matting in black, but we can customise your matting to terracotta, grey, sand, mocha and green. As with all of our products, our playground rubber flooring and gym rubber flooring can be purchased in standard sizes or we can customise materials to meet your specifications.
Features: • made to order, any thickness • weather resistant • easily installed and cleaned • attractive colours for playground areas – standard black, black with coloured flecks or full colours as specified.
Features Made to measure – our playground rubber flooring can be customised to fit any sized playground or gym area, no matter how big or small. Commercial & home use – they can be made to fit every sized area, from a home playground or gym to a large commercial facility. Weather Resistant – as with all our rubber flooring surfaces, Enviro playground products work equally well in wet or dry, hot or cold conditions. They will stand up to anything, ensuring safe play in every season. Easily installed – installing gym rubber flooring into place in your facilities is no hassle. Various colours – our standard rubber flooring is made in black, but we can make it in a large range of colours to suit your preferences and match your facility. Easy to clean – water and mild dish soap is all it takes to maintain playground or gym rubber flooring. At Enviro Rubber, we recycle rubber to create playground rubber flooring and gym flooring to increase safety and accessibility. Find out more about our full range of rubber flooring solutions, contact Enviro Rubber today – (03) 9555 2964 or enviro@envirorubber.com.au
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 61
outline a cyclical carbon management approach and provide examples of carbon reduction activities. The Guide was updated this year to reflect new legislation and policy related to the carbon price framework. The MAV recently rolled out a training program for Victorian councils in carbon emissions management, building upon on the contents of the Guide. In total, 146 council representatives from 51 councils attended the sessions. One of the significant challenges still facing many municipalities is measuring and properly costing landfill waste emissions now and into the future. Pricing emissions from waste is complex, as each tonne of waste deposited today will emit methane over the next 40 or 50 years. While the first years of the scheme provide a fixed price, the shift to the emissions trading phase
brings almost unprecedented uncertainty – predicting what the cost of permits will be decades into the future. From 1 July this year it is expected that six Victorian council landfills could be directly liable for emissions from waste under the carbon pricing framework’s 25,000-tonne CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions threshold. Councils may be able to fall under the threshold through diverting waste, such as organic materials from landfills that generate large amounts of waste and attract the growing state landfill levy, or installing methane gas capture technologies. In the Melbourne metropolitan area and in the largest regional centres, councils are also likely to be depositing waste to privately operated landfills that will be liable under the carbon price. There’s much more work to be done during the transition and early days of a carbon price, and uncertainty of the carbon price beyond the fixed price period; however, Victorian councils are well-placed to rise to this challenge, with further help and support from the MAV, the Australian Government and the Clean Energy Regulator. Resources, including video case studies, are available at www.mav.asn.au/policy-services/environment
Looking for innovation or environmental improvements in your cleaning strategy? The latest in innovation and environmental awareness is supplied by AM Retail Services Pty Ltd, an Australia-wide cleaning service company. Your current cleaning services provision may be in-house or be outsourced. Our services are aimed at reducing landfill by 85 per cent by using appropriate recycle methods such as the ECOBIN recycle systems. The latest in innovation is the SOLUCARE range of chemicals that come in a dosage format for spray bottles or for your mop buckets. This results in: • Reduced storage requirements • No more large chemical containers to be lifted
• Environmentally friendly • No carbon footprint • Low distribution costs
For further details in the provision of cleaning services including labour, chemicals and equipment please call: Shane Juegan on 0411 016 693 who will arrange for further details to be supplied by one of our state team members. Alternatively, email Shane for an appointment shane@amservices.com.au
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Australia’s Infrastructure Sustainability rating tool
launched By the Australian Green Infrastructure Council
by antony sprigg, chief executive officer australian green infrustructure council
The Australian Green Infrastructure Council (AGIC) has officially launched the Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) rating scheme at a series of events across the country.
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he first launch event – held in Canberra on 29 February 2012 – hosted Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese, who opened up the IS Rating Scheme for industry use and praised AGIC for connecting with a number of the federal government’s project partners undertaking infrastructure projects. Mr Albanese also welcomed the scheme’s focus on assessing site context and planning, urban design and landscape, and ongoing management in order to contribute to smarter, greener decisions about urban and rural spaces.
A launch event was also held in New South Wales and the Northern Territory, with similar events also planned for other states and territory capitals. With the launch of the IS rating scheme, AGIC is now ‘operational’ in the business of rating infrastructure projects and assets. AGIC is in discussion with the proponents of several major infrastructure projects to rate the sustainability of their designs and activities. AGIC has also commenced a national Infrastructure Sustainability training program, which starts in June 2012. The two-day training course takes participants through the content and application of the IS scheme and ‘Tool’, and is applicable to all key industry stakeholders involved in the procurement, financing, design, delivery and operation of infrastructure assets. CONTINUED ON PAGE 68 the australian local government environment yearbook 2012 • 65
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Small innovation with major safety and efficiency benefits
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company that prides itself on innovation in the field of environmental testing, ALS Group, in particular, its environmental division, is constantly on the lookout for ways to improve its performance. One such development came about while the company was shining a spotlight on the occupational health and safety aspect of its business: the result was a refined method whereby contaminant testing in water can be performed in a safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly way. In the past, large volumes of sample were often required for laboratory analysis, which meant more time spent on site and increased manual handling risks. ‘To begin with, it was just an idea – can we reduce the testing bottles from one litre down to a 100-millilitre size? Can we achieve the same level of accuracy and reporting limits but reduce the amount of sample that needs to be collected? The answer was yes! By miniaturising sample bottles we significantly reduced the safety risks for field sampling nationally,’ says Kieren Burns, SA environmental services representative for ALS. While the issue of field staff carrying large coolers in remote areas was reduced by adopting customised ALS coolers (less than 20 litres), the sampling method also significantly reduced time in the field. ‘If an environmental professional had 10 wells to sample, previously they would have had to collect 10 one-litre glass bottles for one test, weighing 10 kilograms. Now the same testing is down to 100 millilitres, reducing the manual handling load by nine kilograms, or 90 per cent. In addition, 10 wells can often be completed in a day as opposed to up to a day and a half,’ Burns explains. ‘Other advantages include the reduced waste, reduced carbon footprint, reduced freight costs to clients and reduced site storage needs.’ The major coup for ALS Environmental, however, was being awarded the inaugural CARE Award for sustainable environmental technologies thanks to the reduction in environmental impacts afforded by the new methodology. Furthermore, collecting smaller volumes cuts down the amount of chemicals used, decreasing greenhouse emissions as well as transport emissions and glassware waste. The method has been implemented within all of ALS’ Australian operations and is currently being reviewed internationally within ALS. ‘It’s a good outcome for us to improve safety and efficiency for our clients, and positively impact sustainability with our operations,’ says Burns.
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“Winner of the inaugural CARE Award 2011 – Sustainable Technology & Innovation : Reduction in Sample Volumes – Improving quality, safety, efficiency and sustainability in environmental practices”
ALS ENVIRONMENTAL PROVIDES NATIONAL COVERAGE, EXCELLENT CLIENT & LOGISTICAL SUPPORT, DATA AVAILABLE 24/7 WEBTRIEVE AND IS BACKED BY A STRONG COMMITMENT TO SAFETY, QUALITY & INNOVATION
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Environmental compliance testing (Surface and Ground water) Water quality analysis from drinking to process water Occupational hygiene (e.g. Respirable dust, PM10 etc) Acid Sulfate soils Full range of specialist analytical services Dust testing, ambient air Remote monitoring systems Air, Water, Weather plus Data collection and management systems. Website: www.als.com.au/environmental
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 65
Success in making sense of sustainability AGIC and the IS rating scheme are the result of a collective and collaborative effort by AGIC’s 80 member companies, including engineering companies, government departments, finance and legal institutions, and affiliated bodies. The scheme is one of the world’s first national infrastructure sustainability rating schemes, and is designed to drive innovation, contribute to risk reduction and validate industry achievements through independent certification. The scheme is comprised of the IS rating tool, a formal assessment process, a rating certification and an education program. AGIC’s sustainability rating scheme for infrastructure is designed to support a transformation of the design, construction and operation of civil infrastructure. The rating scheme provides a national framework to platform changes necessary to ensure that new and existing infrastructure performs more sustainably. AGIC’s scheme has had a wide scope from its inception. It has embraced a broad definition of sustainability, incorporating the ‘triple bottom line’ of environmental, social and economic dimensions. It will address design and construction, as well as operational phases of infrastructure. Further, one of its greatest challenges is the diversity of infrastructure types it covers, including roads, rail, bridges, tunnels, ports, wharves, airports, distribution grids (pipes, poles and wires), water supply and sewerage, waterway and foreshore management, and civil headworks. As well as enhancing sustainability outcomes and fostering innovation, the AGIC scheme offers a comprehensive risk assessment framework. For investors, this means that they can begin to quantify the ‘Environment Social Governance’ aspects of projects, attributing value more consistently and appropriately and identifying areas of cost risk and cost reduction. It is expected that a high AGIC rating on projects will build an organisation’s reputation and sustainability credentials. Comprising five themes with 16 sustainability assessment categories, the development of the categories for the rating tool has been subject to rigorous quality assurance. Authors were identified and contracted for each category to develop training material, scoring spreadsheets and benchmarks of best practice. Each category author had a technical peer reviewer supported by a Global Review Panel of experienced infrastructure professionals who oversaw the total authorship of all the categories to ensure relevance, consistency and practicality of the material.
The major benefits that the tool will provide include: • a common national language and understanding of sustainability • innovation and continuous improvement in sustainability outcomes • a national framework in tender submissions that will reduce tendering costs • a comprehensive risk assessment framework, allowing better management and mitigation of risks • investors can begin to quantify ESG aspects of a project, achieving appropriate value attribution and identifying areas of cost risk and cost reduction • a high AGIC rating on projects will build an organisation’s reputation in relation to sustainability performance. Ultimately, it is designed to continuously improve environmental, social and economic outcomes across the design, construction and operational phases of infrastructure projects and existing assets. Infrastructure types that are covered by the scheme include transport, water and wastewater, energy, and communication. Industry tested Two rounds of pilot trials have been conducted to markettest the rating tool. In all, 14 projects have been trialled, and the results have been very encouraging. For each pilot project, the pilot process involved a self-assessment by the project team, then a review by a team of three verifiers. The verifier team reported back to the project team, who then had the opportunity to update their assessment. The verifier team then conducted a final review and issued a final report. Along with the project assessments, comments on the tool were collected from the project team and the verifiers. The pilot trials have proved to be a very valuable learning exercise for AGIC and the pilot projects themselves. The results of the pilot trials and the feedback from projects and verifiers were used to make final updates to the scheme prior to the launch. List of AGIC round one pilot trial projects Project
State
Logan Water Main
QLD
Eastern Busway
QLD
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List of AGIC round two pilot trial projects Project
State
Great Eastern Highway – Roe Interchange
WA
CityLink
VIC
Broadwater Parklands
QLD
Eastern Tertiary Alliance
VIC
Toorourrong Reservoir Upgrade
VIC
Kingsgrove to Revesby Quadruplication
NSW
Enlarged Cotter Dam Project
ACT
Great Eastern Highway Upgrade – Belmont
WA
Confidential road/rail project
VIC
Inner West Busway along Victoria Road
NSW
Glenfield Transport Interchange
NSW
Northern Busway (RCH to Windsor)
QLD
The results from the pilot trials and lessons learned through actual Project/Asset IS assessment and ratings will be continuously collected and consolidated to inform the broader infrastructure industry on the various facets that make the business case for sustainability. The road ahead AGIC is looking forward to an exhilarating year ahead, touring the IS rating scheme around Australia and demonstrating its credibility to project owners and proponents, rolling our training program out and working with delivery agencies or direct project or asset proponents on embedding the IS scheme and pursuing IS ratings. We are currently in discussions with a number of major projects (all at different phases of design, delivery and operations) that wish to sign up and get IS-rated. The organisation is transitioning from essentially a research and development start-up company into a selfsustaining not-for-profit, drawing on a number of revenue streams (including memberships, training programs, project/asset ratings and research and development funding streams for ongoing technical development of the Tool). All infrastructure owners, developers, constructors, designers and operators are invited to consider registering a project or asset for rating by AGIC. The Infrastructure Sustainability Rating Scheme is now available for free download from the Australian Green Infrastructure Council’s website at www.agic.net.au
In order to get a certified rating with the Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Rating Scheme, projects or assets will need to follow the certified rating process: 1. Assessment The project or asset will commence by registering with the Australian Green Infrastructure Council (AGIC) to undertake a rating. An introductory workshop will establish project parameters and clarify scope, timing and reference design. Projects/assets will undertake self-assessment using the rating tool as the project proceeds through design, then into construction and operation. Existing assets may also undertake self-assessment in the operation phase. AGIC will provide technical support during the assessment phase. 2. Verification A project proponent or owner will submit its assessment to AGIC at the end of major milestones for independent verification. AGIC will arrange independent verification by industry experts. Feedback will be provided to owners/proponents so that they have the opportunity to provide additional information to improve their rating. Owners/proponents will make a final submission and a final verification will take place. 3. Certification Verifiers’ recommendations will be reviewed by AGIC. Subject to meeting necessary requirements, AGIC will certify the achievement of a rating at either ‘Good’, ‘Excellent’ or ‘Leading’ performance level. AGIC will issue and promote the rating widely. There will be an appeals process available if a project is dissatisfied with their rating or the rating process. Projects and assets will be rated on a 100-point scale. An IS rating in the range of 25–49 is ‘Good’ practice, 50–74 is ‘Excellent’ practice and 75–100 is ‘Leading’ practice.
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infrastructure
Drilling technology boosts productivity Investing in new technology is paying off for Thiess Services’ water business, boosting accuracy and productivity for pipeline installation.
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ts Civil Services Group has recently taken hold of a new cutting-edge drilling machine, the Vermeer Axis Laser Guided Boring System, which gives the business a performance advantage. Manager of Civil Services, Marcus Wade, said the system used a pit-launched trenchless water or sewerage pipe installation method designed to achieve pinpoint accuracy while eliminating some of the difficult steps associated with other installation techniques.
The combined use of a laser guided system and state-of-the-art steering heads makes it possible to steer and bore at the same time. This accommodates any deviations or changes in ground conditions.
‘It’s designed for the installation of pipes ranging from 150 to 600 millimetres, at lengths up to 150 metres, which
is ideal for manhole-to-manhole installations,’ he said. ‘This means we can continue to offer our clients the latest in innovative trenchless technology.’ The combined use of a laser guided system and stateof-the-art steering heads makes it possible to steer and bore at the same time. This accommodates any deviations or changes in ground conditions. Using a specialist tri-cone drill head and vacuum extraction system, the axis steering head boosts rock drilling productivity. The system works well below groundwater tables and along with its vacuum capabilities is an environmentallyfriendly approach compared to traditional open-cut methods. Unlike the major surface disturbance caused by traditional trenching techniques, the new boring system requires only the digging of a launching pit and exit pit. A rack and carriage assembly is then installed in the launching pit with hydraulics and power supplied from a remote power unit. The carriage attaches to the drill head and provides rotational torque to the cutting head via the drive shaft. The carriage travels along the rack as the drill head begins boring the tunnel. When it reaches the extent of its travel, the carriage retracts and a new section of drill casing is installed, and the process repeats until the drill head emerges at the exit pit. The spoil is removed by vacuum via the vacuum chamber located in the lower half of the drill casing. The key to the accuracy of the system is the laser sighting technology. A laser beam passes through the laser chamber and strikes the cutting face. The red dot is picked up by a camera in the cutting head and the image is relayed to a screen on the operator’s console. The operator controls the guidance of the machine by keeping
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YOU’RE LOOKING AT OUR TEAM WORKING REALLY HARD TO CONNECT UTILITIES. Unlike the major surface disturbance caused by traditional trenching techniques, the new boring system requires only the digging of a launching pit and exit pit.
the sighting cross hairs on the red dot for the duration of its journey. This provides pinpoint accuracy, allowing absolute precision in the exit point and also the desired level of grade, which is critical for gravity feed pipelines. Once the tunnel has been bored, sections of pipe can either be pushed through the tunnel by the carriage, or pulled through as the drill casings and cutting head are withdrawn. This is a truly revolutionary system that will transform pipe installations. Key benefits for micro-tunnelling and boring: • increased productivity due to fast set-up times and the unique boring system • reduced safety risks • environmentally-friendly results • reduced surface disruption such as traffic flow, utility disturbance, pavement removal and restoration • improved methods for deep installation under existing utilities • ability to penetrate contaminated soils, rock, sand and other difficult materials • greater accuracy and cost-efficiency • enhanced access to areas not accessible via open-cut trenching such as under railway lines, buildings, waterways, highways, trees and vegetation.
Of course, all the action is going on behind the scenes. Underground, in fact. Our Civil Services Group offers Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) and Micro-tunnelling – allowing us to install gas, water, communications, electricity services and gravity sewerage lines without open trenching. Requiring only small entry and exit pits, this technology can bore through rock, sand, clay, silt, swamps and virtually anything else in its way. It also has minimal social and environmental impacts and – used in conjunction with pipe jacking – can significantly reduce traffic disruption and project restoration times. It’s all quite impressive, really. If only you could see it. CONTACT THIESS SERVICES’ CIVIL SERVICES GROUP TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN HELP YOU. CALL QLD ON 07 3169 8300, NSW 02 8892 5900, VIC 03 9684 3333 OR VISIT THIESS-SERVICES.COM.AU
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corporate profile
Give your office or library a face-lift without moving out, and save up to 50 per cent Made in Australia, for 40 years Replacing flooring is incredibly easy and cost effective, thanks to Interface modular carpets and Renovisions™ installation system. Interface have been manufacturing modular carpet in Australia for 40 years and offer the widest range. With more than 1000 products and colours to choose from, there’s a product for every style and budget. Renovisions™ is a patented jacking system that allows workstations, office furniture, cabling, library shelving etc., to be left in place, enabling carpet replacement to occur literally overnight. Without the need for downtime or the cost associated with removal and storage, Interface modular carpets and Renovisions™ installation system can save you up to 50 per cent of the cost of a typical flooring replacement. Visit the online calculator to estimate your savings www.renovisions.com.au. Less downtime. Less cost. Less hassle. In office environments, using Interface modular carpets and
Renovisions™ installation system means: • electrical and communications cabling can stay intact • there’s no need to dismantle shelves or workstations • disruption to stakeholders is minimised as work can be scheduled around business hours – either at night or over the weekend • there’s no need for extra storage while carpet is replaced, and no temporary relocation costs. In public libraries, replacing the floor becomes incredibly easy and cost effective with Interface Library Renovisions™. The smart jacking system and skates means you can: • raise all library furniture including books, heavy shelves, tables and cataloguing systems instead of dismantling them • avoid hiring fees for removal contractors and storage • install interface modular carpets overnight without the need to close the library to the community • avoid damage to shelving units typically encountered with the use of crow bars to lift and move library furniture.
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corporate profile
®
SENSITIVE CHOICE SUPPORTING A ST HM A CARE
®
Registered trade mark of National Asthma Council Australia
Cool Carpet 100% Carbon Neutral
A smarter choice for the environment Interface carpet tiles are the most sustainable choice in flooring: • Receive 100 per cent GreenStar points for flooring with every installation. • We produce Australia’s only 100 per cent Carbon Neutral carpet tiles. • Products contain up to 76 per cent total recycled content, with many featuring 100 per cent recycled nylon tufted yarn. • Using only solution dyed nylon, no water or toxic chemicals are used in the manufacturing process of our yarn. • The modular carpet design means individual tiles can be replaced if they become damaged, without the need to replace large or entire areas of flooring, saving you money and saving the environment. • We can recycle your existing carpet tiles, regardless of the manufacturer, through our recycling and reuse program, ReEntry™. • All products are warranted for 15 years as well as for recycling. • Install with TacTiles™ glueless adhesive and reduce your installation footprint by 90 per cent (compared to traditional carpet adhesives). • Our Australian production facility near Sydney, New South Wales, uses 100 per cent renewable electricity sources for manufacturing. • For the last three years, Interface has been named one of the top three most sustainable companies in the world, by the Globescan Sustainability Survey.
• Our modular carpets contain the industry’s lowest VOCs and are the only tufted carpet tiles to carry Sensitive Choice Approval from the National Asthma Council of Australia, making them the healthiest choice in flooring. • All Interface carpet tiles carry Intersept™, a patented antimicrobial that inhibits 99 per cent of microbial growth across a broad spectrum of harmful microorganisms including mould and fungi, guaranteed for the life of the product. Built in during the manufacturing process, Intersept™ extends product life and contributes to healthier indoor air quality. For more information call Interface on 1800 008 101 or visit www.renovisions.com.au.
Works for you. Works for your stakeholders and the community. With Interface products you can be confident you’re creating an environment that’s attractive to your stakeholders and visitors: • You can create a fresh new look virtually overnight by choosing from over 1000 product and colour combinations. Visit our online flooring toolbox at www.interface.com. • Our Design and Development Team provides a complementary colour customisation, floorplan and room simulation service, to help meet your precise needs.
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corporate profile
Case study: Warilla Library, Shellharbour City Council: a cost-effective refurbishment made easy.
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hellharbour City Libraries’ Warilla Branch accommodates approximately 12,000 visitors per month, from all parts of the community. This significant foot traffic had taken its toll on the library’s broadloom carpet, creating tracks and worn areas that could not easily be replaced. So when Manager Libraries and Museum, Diane Cranson, started considering a replacement product, the priorities were durability, ease of maintenance and compliance with their sustainability policies and budget. As the library is a popular community hub, Diane also held some concerns about the need to close parts, or all, of the library to undertake the refurbishment. These concerns were put to rest with Interface’s modular carpets and library Renovisions™ system. Shellharbour City Council was initially hesitant to use carpet tiles over broadloom; however, Interface were able to demonstrate significant cost advantages when undertaking a refurbishment with their Renovisions™ installation system and carpet tiles. Diane recalls, ‘Using Interface’s Renovisions™ system and modular carpets meant the cost of hiring contractors to remove books, dismantle shelves, storage fees (for books to be stored while broadloom is installed), as well as disruption to the community, would not be an issue.
All of the usual problems of re-carpeting could be avoided because Interface’s Renovisions™ system allows carpet tiles to be installed overnight, with all books and shelving staying in situ.’ Renovisions™ consists of a jacking system and skates to lift library furniture – including books, heavy shelves, tables or cataloguing systems – on the spot. According to the Project Flooring Contractor, Paul Eagleton, ‘Interface’s Library Renovisions™ system is an easy, safe and efficient refurbishment method because it leaves an installer to get on with the job while the jacks hold the shelving up, without the risk of them dislocating or toppling over. Renovisions™ is also safer and requires less effort than using modified crowbars, which are commonly used among installers and often cause damage to shelving units.’ When it came to choosing the carpet tiles, Library staff selected from the Cubic Colours collection for its sustainability credentials and broad colour palette. ‘Knowing the range carried a 15-year performance and durability warranty was important, too,’ said Diane. ‘The library has taken on a completely new, modern look. We’re very happy.’
Warilla Library, Shellharbour City Council - a cost effective refurbishment, made easy with Interface modular carpets and Renovisions™ installation system.
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INSPIRATIONOVERNIGHT
Refurbish your office without disruption. Revitalise your building assets with Renovisions® from Interface and create workplaces that inspire. Choose from Australia’s largest range of stylish modular carpet designs which are durable, stain resistant, recyclable and achieve 100% Green Star points.
Less downtime. Less hassle. Interface’s revolutionary installation system, Renovisions®, enables old flooring to be replaced quickly and efficiently. There’s no need to move out, move furniture, or even disconnect power and data.
Less cost. With rapid installation overnight and on weekends, your carpet replacement costs can be cut by up to 50%. Find out how you can save with Interface Renovisions®, call 1800 008 101 or visit www.renovisions.com.au
Renovisions® from Interface - inspiration not interruption.
www.interface.com
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education + training
Information, education, local government and communicating climate change the city of casey
Too many people seem to think that information and education are synonyms. Presenting information, handing over data, knowledge, research et cetera, however, is no guarantee of it being received, understood, incorporated within one’s understanding of the world and used to create sensitive and appropriate responses. This is an entirely different matter.
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ornington Peninsula Shire had some research-based detailed information regarding local impacts of climate change that they knew would be of fundamental importance to their communities. Rather than taking out a page in each of
their local newspapers and publishing tables of data, they thought that a comprehensive education program was in order. They met, discussed and planned how, as a council, they would respond to the impacts that the data revealed and, as a component of those plans, how they would let their communities in on the data and the responses. They prepared a booklet for their residents called Climate Change: what we are doing about it. This was distributed in a special edition of the shire’s newspaper Peninsula-wide, with the booklet in a plain brown envelope labelled ‘Important information inside’. Also inside was a poster with the dates of community climate change conversations at which data from the report would be discussed. Twelve such conversations were planned: one in each of the council’s wards plus another in a particularly large ward. Mornington Peninsula Shire is a popular holiday destination,
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with many beaches, golf courses and vineyards. It has many holiday houses nestled in the coastal vegetation, and it has areas with social housing. The area also has an extremely diverse population. The conversations were planned for the early evening, between 6 and 8 pm on weeknights, and from 10 am until 12 noon on Saturday mornings in settlements where there were significant numbers of weekday city dwellers and weekend Peninsula residents. It is common practice in Mornington Peninsula Shire to hold these weekend meetings, as weekend residents have made clear their desire to be involved in Shire activities. The program was also posted on the council’s website, and letters were sent to each resident and to service clubs, sporting groups and schools. Advertisements were placed in local papers, and posters were displayed in shopping centres. Venues, community centres, school rooms and church halls were booked to cater for the expected numbers. A budget was allocated for publicity, catering and handouts to show the participants that they were serious. It was planned that show bags, containing information brochures, a shower timer, a CFL globe, a voucher for a compost bin and an evaluation sheet, would be handed out to each attendee. Council initially allocated a budget sufficient to cater for 1000 such bags. The same two-hour program was followed at each venue and included a range of components: • arrival, informal chat with friends and something to eat and drink • welcome and introduction • performance by students, with the subliminal orientation in people’s minds to the future • credible, clearly explained, research-based information, presented by word and image • direct responses to personal questions within the context of the research • open discussion with the entire audience • information and materials to start household responses when they returned home. Residents arrived, were greeted by council staff, given a yellow Post-It note and invited to sandwiches and a cup of tea, with cordial for the kids. While they catered to their physiological needs, they thought over the issues in their minds regarding climate change in general, or about something that they were concerned about in particular – perhaps climate change impacts on their own home or property, or their consumption habits or actions. They
wrote the issue of most concern to them on the Post-It note and placed it on large pages of butcher’s paper, bearing the headings Climate Change Impact, Household Actions or Political Actions. As they ate, drank and chatted, these Post-It notes were regularly removed and taken up to council staff for typing onto a desktop and linking to any one of the approximately 70 thumbnails on a PowerPoint presentation that ranged over all of the CSIRO data and the socioeconomic impacts that resulted. Through this, individual concerns could be treated within the context of the climate change impacts that created them when the general discussion started.
Council staff transcribing questions for the presentation as the crowd assembles
After 20 minutes, the MC invited participants to be seated. The first component of the program was a performance by a local school regarding their sustainability program. With colour, movement and hopes for the future, the evening started in a very positive mood. The Ward Councillor welcomed the participants to their ward meeting and briefly outlined the program to be followed, including the agreed finish time, so participants knew precisely what the time commitment would be. The MC then described the project and the commitment of the shire to climate change responses. Council officers with responsibility for environmental management then took over and gave a detailed presentation of the biophysical projections that the CSIRO had developed – temperature, average rainfall, extreme rainfall, sea level rise and storm surge, and fire weather – and the socio-economic impacts (how many elderly people lived where and how they might be affected by heatwaves, for example) that could result. The relevant questions that participants posed and placed on Post-It notes were then addressed, within the context of the climate change issue or impact that prompted them. Progressively, each of the biophysical impacts and the participants’ questions were addressed, with program MC
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education + training
evaluation sheet for council staff’s subsequent analysis as timekeeper. With 15 minutes to go, roving microphones of the advice for further action that they contained. Now enabled questions from the floor to be addressed so that that the program has been completed, a group within the any issues that arose in participants’ minds during the council has been assembled to consider the next activities presentations could be answered. that should be developed. Having raised expectations, the The course of the conversation varied at venues, challenge before Mornington Peninsula Shire now is to meet however, as the questions raised on the Post-It notes them. influenced the topics discussed. The roving microphone By the time the program that was used after the was over, the number council staff presentation in of attendees had greatly the first three sessions was By the time the program was over, expanded – with close to brought into use during the the number of attendees had 3000 people turning up, the staff presentations in all of exploded – with close to 3000 budget was shot and the the subsequent sessions, council was ecstatic. For so that questions asked by people turning up, the budget was example, I attended the fourth audience members could be shot and the council was ecstatic. conversation, relocated from answered within the context the Community Hall at Red of the climate change impact Hill, a village high on the spine of concern. of the Mornington Peninsula hills. This meeting was held The program concluded promptly at the advertised finishing time so participants could meet all of their personal on a cold and wet Thursday night during the first week of the Beijing Olympics on a night of swimming finals, so there obligations to family and babysitters, for example. Those were only 170 people present – only 170! with the time stayed behind to chat and ask individual As a genuinely interactive education program, it was questions, and many approached council staff to express exemplary. It was based on the needs of the learner, it their gratitude for the program. The school hall was packed treated them with respect – as physiological and intellectual up, and the crowd had entirely dispersed by 8.30 pm. beings – and it related the learning to the community and As participants left the meeting, council staff handed wider contexts. them their gift bag and collected from them a completed
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education + training training & education
Meeting the infrastructure asset management challenge
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rowing importance is being placed on the lifecycle costs associated with the operation, maintenance and renewal of physical assets. This has created the need for skills in the management of infrastructure such as roads, water supply, drainage and sewerage. Legislation requiring local authorities to create and implement asset management plans for the physical infrastructure under their control has also added to the demand for specialists with asset management qualifications. Recognising the need, the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA) and the Centre for Pavement Engineering Education (CPEE), jointly developed a program for engineering and science graduates employed in local government and public works authorities in the emerging discipline of Infrastructure Asset Management. The CPEE/University of Tasmania asset management programs together with courses on road and pavement engineering provide local government employees with access to a range of work-relevant postgraduate awards.
Education Enhancement Opportunities Graduate Certificate & Diploma in Infrastructure Asset Management
Accredited by the University of Tasmania, these programs have been jointly developed by the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA) and CPEE to meet the need for enhanced technical skills in the field of public works Infrastructure Asset Management
Core infrastructure units on: Asset Management Fundamentals Asset Management Practices Financial Asset Management with a range of electives
These courses provide today’s Infrastructure Asset Management Specialist with the opportunity to expand their skills and knowledge and to gain recognition with a University postgraduate award.
Road Engineering & Construction
Infrastructure Asset Management
A new CPEE/ University of Tasmania postgraduate program offered for the first time in 2012 If you would like to study one of these exciting programs contact CPEE on (03) 9890 5155 or at info@pavementeducation.edu.au log on to www.pavementeducation.edu.au
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education + training
Redland City Council IndigiScapes Centre
The IndigiScapes Centre is Redland City Council’s environmental education centre and native botanic gardens, and has grown to be a hub for environmental education in the area since its beginnings as a community concept in 1997. The Centre opened in 2000 and was the first centre of its kind in the southern hemisphere. The main features of the Centre are native botanic gardens housing species of plants indigenous to the Redlands area, three easy bushwalking tracks, a community nursery, an education centre and a café.
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he Centre provides a number of environmental education services to local residents, schools and the general community. Visitors can obtain information and advice on gardening with native plants, native wildlife, sustainability in their home and schools, and revegetation of natural areas. The Centre is the home of environmental education in the Redlands, creating a ‘one-stop shop’ for people seeking answers to environmental questions. The small on-site community nursery provides locally sourced and grown indigenous native plants. The nursery is run by a part-time nursery manager and volunteers who source seed stock locally, and manage the propagation and growing of plants and the sale of those plants at the monthly plant sales. The community has an active Bushcare program running from the Centre, with three full-time Bushcare officers supporting 44 Bushcare groups across the city.
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Informative and interactive Centre displays change every six weeks, and are designed not to overwhelm people, but to encourage them to leave with a sense of enthusiasm and the knowledge to make positive changes in their lives. There are approximately 350 volunteers working in these community spaces to improve the habitat value of the sites, and increase the public awareness of the importance of these patches of bush in their neighbourhoods. The Habitat Protection program works in a similar way, but with property owners in their own backyards. There are three full-time officers within the Habitat Protection program who provide advice on koala conservation, weed and fire management, habitat protection and waterway care, on everything from small urban blocks to large, rural acreages. The Redland City has a range of wildlife species, which often come into contact, and sometimes conflict, with people. A wildlife program offers opportunities for the
public to get involved with practical ways to help wildlife through the Redlands Afterhours Wildlife Ambulance and the Redlands Wildlife Care Network. With over 100 volunteers currently working in this area, and two full-time staff dedicated to wildlife education, it is at the forefront of community education for the sustainability of wildlife habitat. The Schools Program offers flexible and adaptable programs to help meet the individual needs of teachers and students, with one full-time officer seeing an average of 3500 students a year. Programs not only meet curriculum needs, they are fun, and essential for the understanding and appreciation of our natural environment by our future caretakers. As well as the above programs run from the Centre, the council uses the botanic gardens and Centre displays to promote a variety of key messages on sustainability. Informative and interactive Centre displays change every six weeks, and are designed not to overwhelm people, but to encourage them to leave with a sense of enthusiasm and the knowledge to make positive changes in their lives. The council is committed to caring for its environment and, whilst it focuses on providing education for sustainability to the community, it also practices what it preaches and has implemented numerous energy and water saving measures to lessen its environmental footprint.
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+ training education & training
The best safety solutions and training Safecity is a small, dynamic company proud to be Australian owned. Our strength is in our staff. Our focus is on our customer.
‘I
started Safecity over 20 years ago, and I am proud of what it has become. My staff are customer oriented, and always find the best solutions for them,’ says Alexander Wilon, Managing Director. Elizabeth Murdoch, Staff and Services Coordinator says, ‘Safecity is a small business, providing a very wide range of quality services and products. We have learnt through our own experiences about what people want, and how they like to be treated.’
‘We understand the needs of remote communication and data issues firsthand. We have collected a lot of in-depth knowledge over the last 20 years to ensure you get the most up-to-date solution that ticks as many boxes as possible in your communication and data wish lists.’
good they are. Every notebook is checked before it is sent out to ensure quality,’ says Carolyn Williams, Dispatch Coordinator. Safecity has a large training division. ‘One of our offices is based in a remote area, so we understand the needs of those in remote locations. As well as providing satellite phones, we offer courses by distance, and offer to travel to our client’s location for training,’ says Sharon Flinders, Head Tutor.
Safecity has branched out into many areas, including: • satellite phones and data • legally compliant notebooks for field notes • dog repellents for meter readers, joggers, and grounds keepers. Being remote, we quickly learned about satellite phones. We can now offer any satellite service, including government-rated BGAN units for high-speed data transfer. ‘We understand the needs of remote communication and data issues first-hand. We have collected a lot of indepth knowledge over the last 20 years to ensure you get the most up-to-date solution that ticks as many boxes as possible in your communication and data wish lists. We understand how the different systems work, so we can determine if they will actually work for you,’ Jackie Wilon, Satellite Division. We started Safecity in the security arena, so we have a full understanding of legal requirements. We also saw a need for professional, legally-compliant notebooks. Many government departments are realising that the notebook we offer provides a great value solution for personnel who keep field notes that may be produced in a court of law. ‘Our notebooks are popular with governments. More departments are buying them as they realise how
As a registered training organisation, our qualifications are nationally recognised and include: • TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (by distance) • CPPSEC2008A Screen Items • CPPSEC2007A Screen People. We specialise in training for airport screeners. As many councils are required to upgrade the security of regional airports, our staff travel and provide this training on site. This training is nationally recognised, and also complies with international ICAO standards. Elizabeth explains, ‘We recently upgraded our images for X-ray interpretation, and now have specific training for people who work in mail rooms. This is a critical role in government, courts, and mail sorting departments, so we invested in specific images for mail rooms. Our training is thorough, and can be tailored to meet the needs of individual organisations.’
X-ray imaging
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Australian Nationally Recognised Training customised for Local Government Including: • TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (distance) On Site Screener Training: • CPPSEC2008A Screen Items • CPPSEC2007A Screen People
www.openlearning.edu.au
www.safecity.com.au/notebooks.htm
Phone 02 6335 5216 www.safecity.com.au
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equipment + machinery
Introducing Cat® Tier 4 Interim machines – advanced, environmentally responsible technology
C
aterpillar has a global commitment to building their customers’ businesses both now and into the future. Global demand for energy, rising fuel prices and tighter emissions regulations are challenging customers to work more efficiently. Caterpillar is responding by enhancing the efficiency of its equipment and improving product technologies. In keeping with this commitment to sustainable development, Caterpillar is pleased to announce the launch of three Tier 4 Interim (US EPA) machines in Australia. Tier 4 Interim standards require emissions of particulate matter (PM) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) to be reduced by more than 90 per cent. These innovative new machines – the D7E and D6T Track-Type Tractors, and the 962K Wheel Loader – meet the Tier 4 Interim standards and offer customers more efficient and environmentally responsible machines, without sacrificing performance. ‘We devote significant time and energy into understanding our customers,’ explains Sam Martin, Asia Pacific Product Marketing Support Manager. ‘We know they need the very latest technology available to them to increase productivity and decrease cost of ownership. The Tier 4 machines do all this and more. Not only do they match the Tier 4 Interim standards, they also encompass new, leading edge technology.’ Take the D7E Track-Type Tractor – one of the most advanced, efficient and versatile track-type tractors in the world. Due to its electric drive system, it delivers greater fuel economy, greater productivity and likely lower lifetime service costs, compared with conventionally designed tractors of equal weight and horsepower. It‘s designed to burn less fuel and consume fewer fluids and parts, so more
work can be done for less. In addition, the engine runs in a narrow speed range (1,500-1,800 rpm) further reducing fuel consumption and extending engine life. An Eco Reverse mode feature contributes to even greater fuel efficiency, and a dual tilt blade option can improve dozing productivity. The 962K Wheel Loader also offers high performance, long life, excellent fuel efficiency and lower operating costs than its predecessor – all whilst meeting the Tier 4 Interim emissions regulations. It encompasses significant enhancements such as an updated high-efficiency drive train, Z-bar linkage delivering parallel lift, a new Performance Series bucket and a new operator station (cab). The 962K is powered by the Cat® C7.1 ACERT™ engine, which provides net power of 165 kW at 1900 rpm. The third Tier 4 interim machine to be launched in Australia is the robust updated D6 Track-type Tractor. The D6T is powered by Cat C9.3 ACERT™ engine with a net horsepower rating of 153kW (205hp). It not only offers lower exhaust emissions, but lower fuel consumption, achieved through engine management by reducing engine speed while reversing. The ECO-Reverse feature is seamless and requires no operator intervention. New design enhancements include a new steering tiller bar, ground level service centre providing access to battery disconnect and engine shutdown switches, and an easier to clean cab. ‘This is only the beginning,’ concludes Martin. ‘We will continue to listen to and act on our customers’ needs now and into the future.’ For more information about Cat Tier 4 Interim machines, contact your local Cat® dealer or visit australia.cat.com
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SUSTAInAbIlITy
ThAT’S ALL
buSINeSS
Cat® Tier 4 Interim machines have arrived, meeting US EPA Tier 4 emission standards – so you can move more, more efficiently. Get it done with less fuel consumption, less emissions, less upkeep and more productivity. Plus, we’ll continue to deliver real technology breakthroughs to help you manage the demands of a changing world. To find out more, contact your Cat dealer or visit www.australia.cat.com
NSW/ACT WesTrac 1300 881 064 WA WesTrac 1300 881 064 VIC William Adams 03 9566 0666
TAS QLD/NT SA
William Adams 03 6326 6366 Hastings Deering 131 228 Cavpower 08 8343 1600
© 2012 Caterpillar. CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow,” the “Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.
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equipment + machinery
Sustainable choice in local government
By Claire Competiello, Project Manager, Sustainable Choice, Local Government Association of NSW & Shires Association of NSW
Sustainable Choice is a grant-funded sustainable procurement program for New South Wales local government that operates in partnership with the New South Wales Local Government and Shires Associations, and the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage.
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nitiated six years ago, Sustainable Choice is a membership program established to make sustainable procurement easier for New South Wales councils. More than half of all councils in New South Wales are members, with numbers continually on the rise as sustainable procurement comes to the forefront of decisionmaking. Sustainable Choice works on the premise that councils need to change the way they procure, by looking at their internal processes and systems. The program encourages staff to ask critical questions and integrate sustainability from the outset of a project, rather than as an afterthought. Member councils are guided to make decisions based on the four pillars of sustainability (environmental, social, economical and governance), progressing from just considering green procurement, which only has an environmental focus. Membership benefits to councils include: • access to an extensive range of resources and case studies • opportunities to attend and host sustainable procurement workshops and events • in-house sustainable procurement training • subscription to a quarterly newsletter • tracking progress using an individualised Sustainable Procurement Scorecard • being part of a large supportive network.
By building on what councils are already doing, the program facilitates information-sharing and capacitybuilding between its members. Sustainable procurement in local government Purchasing. Spending. Money. These are all words generally associated with procurement. In reality, procurement is actually about the way that goods and services are obtained, rather than about the exchange of money. And this is what distinguishes product and service decision-making in local government from purchasing in the private sector. Councils have a responsibility to procure in a manner that best services the needs of their communities, with decision-making processes that reflect this duty. By making informed procurement decisions based on quadruple bottom line considerations, councils can reduce their environmental and social impacts now and in the future. In many cases, long-term cost savings occur as a result, especially when product life cycle is considered. Sustainable Choice promotes that councils make decisions by looking at the life cycle analysis and costing of products and services. Life cycle costing refers to consideration of the entire supply chain and stage of product manufacturing and consumption when procuring goods and services – not just the price tag. A shift in decision-making to a more long-term perspective is required, where goods are selected by looking beyond the initial cost, to also consider social, environmental and financial running, manufacturing and disposal costs.
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equipment + machinery
Sustainable procurement of office IT equipment Office IT equipment includes computers, monitors, printers, faxes, scanners, copiers and multi-functional devices (MFDs). Office IT equipment can have environmental, social and financial impacts at all life cycle stages – raw material acquisition, inputs during the manufacturing process, distribution, energy consumption, consumables during use and disposal at end of life. While behavioural changes, such as switching off monitors and computers, are important, it is actually the procurement decisions made when selecting office equipment that can make one of the most significant differences in reducing impact. Procurement of office consumables, such as recycled paper and remanufactured cartridges, must also be considered when selecting equipment. Energy efficiency Office equipment typically accounts for up to 40 per cent of office energy use in buildings, and is the fastest-growing electrical load in offices. The Energy Star® program makes selecting products based on energy Before efficiency easier, in order to reduce environmental and financial impact. Most endorsed equipment will use approximately 50 to 60 per cent less energy than conventional computers, monitors, printers, copiers and fax machines. Because Before and after photos of the server virtualisation task at Penrith City Council, 2011. photocopiers are the most energy after intensive of all office equipment, another favourable action is to work with staff to reduce the amount of copying required. Two main scenarios exist when it comes
Penrith City Council staff and their sustainability team mascot encourage positive staff behaviour in Council.
to procuring energy efficient goods – councils can either replace all of their old equipment (whether broken or not), or wait until the item needs replacing. While older models can use up to 80 per cent more electricity than newer models, it is suggested that replacement occur only when necessary, as energy efficiency is not the only consideration in sustainable procurement. Case study – switching to multi-functional devices at North Sydney Council Switching to MFDs is the latest trend in councils, demonstrating easy ways to reduce energy consumption through asset consolidation. MFDs reduce energy consumption by approximately 40 to 70 per cent when compared to the combined total electricity use of machinery, depending on whether equipment being exchanged was Energy Star®-endorsed or not. Last year, North Sydney Council completed a three-year project to consolidate all equipment into MFDs. Initially, a review of the fleet was conducted to measure usage and look at possible savings. A working group was then selected to look into possible options, desired capabilities and associated benefits with changing over. Staff concerns about only working from one machine were resolved by introducing new equipment in stages and offering training to all staff. Overall, 48 machines were replaced with 25 MFDs, reducing energy consumption per page by 28 and 54 per cent for the different models. Council has also saved approximately $65,000 over the three-year period. In addition, a new ‘Secure Print’ program has been initiated, in which staff select their printing documents at the machine, instead of printing occurring automatically from the PC. Significant energy and paper savings have resulted from eliminating accidental print jobs and uncollected printing.
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Honda power equipment
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s Australia’s leading 4-Stroke garden care equipment manufacturer, Honda offers a complete range of fuel efficient 4-Stroke power equipment. Our range of equipment includes lawnmowers, brushcutters, generators, pumps, tillers, a hedgecutter, blower and power carrier. Honda lawnmowers are reliable, efficient and, coupled with heavy duty components and numerous safety features, allow you to achieve the perfect cut whatever the task at hand. Powered by a durable Honda 4-Stroke engine, these beasts will surely last a lifetime. When it comes to working the soil, Honda’s tiller range offers the power and versatility you need, allowing you to tackle anything from a small flower bed to a field. Honda’s famous engineering delivers the world’s first 4-Stroke blower and hedgecutter, making both of these products the most powerful and lightweight machines in their class, helping you keep things neat and tidy. Honda’s brushcutters are rugged, reliable, easy to manoeuvre and are ideal for a variety of jobs including trimming, edging, mowing and clearing. The Honda Power Carrier is the perfect solution to eliminate the hard slog of manual carrying. Powered by an efficient, easy starting Honda 4-Stroke engine, it is easy to operate with simple and conveniently located controls. The strong, lightweight, four-sided ‘tilt and lift’ tray measures 0.18 cubic metres and has a four 50 kilograms payload capacity. For backup power, you’ll find Honda generators incorporate the type of innovations and cutting-edge
technology that no other manufacturer can match. Our EU and some of our EM series generators incorporate an advanced microcomputer – controlled sinewave inverter. Our range also includes Honda water pumps that offer a level of uncompromising performance to a wide variety of water transfer applications. Designed for easy starting, priming and dependable service, used throughout the world for over 20 years, Honda water pumps have earned a reputation for unsurpassed reliability and performance. Honda’s range of products are easy to use, whisper quiet and safe for the environment. Honda’s advanced 4-Stroke technology eliminates the mess and time it takes to mix 2-Stroke fuel and offers superior efficiency. You will have no trouble starting the products with Honda’s famous ‘starts first time, every time’ reliability, and all products are backed up by a four-year domestic warranty* with outstanding after-sales support to give you complete piece of mind. Our products are safe for the environment and the user, and all around the world, Honda is renowned for its quality, reliability and performance. Honda 4-Stroke engines are engineered to work efficiently, with greater reliability, lower running costs, ease of use and reduced noise, vibration and emissions. With a strong reputation for reliability, innovation and performance, Honda has a selection of lawn and garden products to meet just about all requirements with all the benefits of 4-Stroke technology. *
four-year warranty – domestic use only. Not applicable to engines sold as separate units. Full terms and conditions available at authorised Honda dealerships.
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HONDA. WE DO MORE THAN JUST MOWERS. Manufacturing industry leading generators, tillers and transfer pumps for over 50 years.
EU65iS Maximum output 6500W/240 volt AC Better than commercial quality electricity due to microcomputer controlled sine wave inverter Large capacity 17 litre fuel tank Other models available
Power carrier Powerful GXV160 OHV 4-Stroke engine Shifts upto 450kg of payload via a 0.18m3 tray Crawler tension spring to protect your investment
EG3600CX
WB30 pump
Maximum output 3600W/240 volt AC Strengthened electric performance with D-AVR†† with inverter-like stable voltage Large capacity 24 litre fuel tank Other models available
3 inch pump transfers 1,100 L/min. Empty an average inground pool in 54 min. Precision Japanese quality means year after year of reliability Other models available: WX10 - 140 L/min, WX15 - 240 L/min, WB20 - 600 L/min
F501 tiller Powerful 5.5hp 4-stroke engine 2 forward and 1 reverse gears 914mm tine width Adjustable handlebars Other models available
GX V-Twin series New Generation V-twins Three horsepower choices, seven models OHV commercial engine
For your nearest specialist dealer call 1300 1 HONDA (1300 1 46 632) or visit www.honda.com.au Not all products are available from every Honda dealer. Honda MPE reserves the right to change models, specifications and price without notice. *4-year warranty. Domestic use only. Not applicable to engines sold as separate units. Full terms & conditions available at authorised Honda dealerships. †† D-AVR - Digital Auto Voltage Regulator.
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Large and small multi-functional devices at North Sydney Council, 2011. Reducing electronic waste Electronic waste (e-waste) is a critical problem that is only increasing as the computing industry continues to grow at a rapid pace. Many manufacturers in Australia are still resisting ‘take-back’ schemes, where consumers pay a minimal fee when purchasing that allows return of the product once it has reached the end of its useful life. Office electronics contain a range of hazardous toxic materials that, if not disposed of correctly, pose significant dangers for human and ecological health. Many councils in New South Wales have organised e-waste collection days to ensure that electronic waste does not end up as landfill. This is a costly service and local government welcomes the introduction in 2012 of a national, industry-funded ‘take-back’ scheme; however, as well as looking at the end-of-life management of e-waste, councils also need to be putting programs in place that reduce the amount of electronic waste created. Case study – ICT sustainability initiatives at Penrith City Council Penrith City Council is leading the way in sustainable ICT in councils by introducing a number of positive initiatives: • recycling all delivery boxes and requesting reduced packaging • reducing power usage by increasing intelligent power saving capability, such as automatic shutdown • switching to virtual servers • considering total product life cycle costing in procurement of new goods • purchasing monitors separately from computers, with many staff using monitors that are more than six years old. Virtual servers save Council thousands of dollars in reduced energy bills, which were previously high due to air conditioning to keep the servers cool. One of the latest innovative initiatives at Penrith City Council is their Traditional PCs to Smaller Footprints program. One-third of all computers are replaced every year with more efficient models that cut power consumption by more than 50 per cent. For every new computer bought, Acer, Dataflex and Greening Australia partner to donate one tree to the council, which in turn works with the local community to plant trees. In April this year, 160 trees were
planted by Luddenham Public School, demonstrating Council’s strong commitment to environmental sustainability. Additionally, instead of disposing old computers to landfill, IT staff install new operating systems and software before giving them to local council-owned childcare centres for children to explore using computers. Penrith also provides other community groups with their older equipment, and where all other options are exhausted, they dissect old computers for spare parts and send the rest to a recycling centre. Tendering and contracts Unless sustainability clauses are set out in tenders and agreements, councils may end up being locked into contracts for an extended period of time (even up to five years) with a supplier that does not demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, and uses products and services that have the potential to be damaging to council’s financial resources, community and environment. Councils must integrate sustainability clauses into their tendering agreements that relate to both the product/ service itself, and the behaviour of the supplier. The journey forward Despite the modern and clean image of the electronics industry, appropriate working conditions and environmental protection have been proven to be far behind what they should be. Users of computing equipment are not always aware of the unsatisfactory situations of workers in the production of raw materials and the manufacturing and recycling of computers, as well as the impact on the natural environment. The Procure IT Fair campaign and the Good Electronics network are new initiatives that aim to raise the awareness about the working conditions and environmental pollution associated with the production of computers, and ask purchasers to demand compliance of the supply chain with international labour rights and ecological standards. Greenpeace also released their updated Guide to Greener Electronics in November 2011, ranking leading mobile phone, television and computer manufacturers on their sustainable policies and practices. Councils in New South Wales continue to find new and innovative ways to make positive changes in the procurement of more sustainable office equipment and consumables, as well as supporting external programs to improve this industry.
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SAMPLE TENDER CLAUSES [Council] is committed to the procurement of goods and services that promote social, environmental and financial sustainability. [Council] has determined that the following environmental and social considerations must be met when purchasing office IT equipment. Office equipment should: • display Energy Star certification, which has been activated • be energy efficient during operation and when operating with peripheral devices (where relevant) • permit use of recycled paper and remanufactured consumables (where relevant) • permit automatic double-sided printing as default (where relevant) • not contain lead (for computer monitors) • produce no ozone or volatile organic compounds when in operation • have low operating noise levels • have minimal packaging made from recycled material that is compatible with current recycling services. Suppliers should: • state the power consumption in all modes of operation • state the percentage of equipment that is made up of recycled components and materials • state whether the equipment can be returned to the manufacturer at end of life for recycling • supply quotes only on equipment permitting thirdparty remanufactured consumables that will not affect service agreements or warranties • supply quotes only for equipment guaranteed to be compatible with recycled paper • support fair working conditions for all employees and associated employees in the manufacturing of goods, complying with international labour rights • support equal employment opportunities for staff • be a socially responsible company – this may include (but is not limited to) supporting local communities, maximising health and safety, and fair wages.
Penrith City Council planting trees with students from Luddenham Public School as part of the Smaller Footprints IT program, April 2012.
Sources Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (2012). Procure IT Fair Campaign. www.procureitfair.org Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (2012). Good Electronics: International Network on Human Rights and Sustainability in Electronics. www.goodelectronics.org Chris Gardner (2011). IT Initiatives at Penrith City Council Powerpoint Presentation. Delivered for the Sustainable Choice Wired Green, Sustainable ICT Forum. April, 2011. www.lgsa-plus.net.au/ SustainableChoice Deborah Storey (2011). North Sydney Council Greening IT Powerpoint Presentation. Delivered for the Sustainable Choice Wired Green, Sustainable ICT Forum. April, 2011. www.lgsa-plus.net.au/ SustainableChoice Energy Star Australia (2012). Energy Start Australia Website. www.energyrating.gov.au Fuji Xerox Australia (2010). Fuji Xerox and Environmental Sustainability Fact Sheet. www.fujixerox.com.au/docs/ FXA_Sustainability_Media_Factsheet. pdf Greenpeace (2011). Guide to Greener Electronics. www.greenpeace.org/international/en/ campaigns/toxics/electronics
ICLEI (2008). Draft background Report: Sustainable Procurement Guidelines for Office Furniture. Developed by ICLEI for the United Nations Environment Program. www. greeningtheblue.org/sites/default/ files/furniture-and-sustainableprocurement_0.pdf ICLEI (2008). Background Report: Sustainable Procurement Guidelines for Office IT Equipment. Developed by ICLEI for the United Nations Environment Program. www.pnuma.org/industria/esp/ workshop/UNEP%20SP%20 guidelines%20office%20IT%20-%20 Background%20Report%20-%20 final.pdf Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW (2009). Sustainable Choice Briefing Paper: Office Equipment Consumables. www.lgsa-plus.net.au/ SustainableChoice Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW (2009). Sustainable Choice Briefing Paper: Office IT Equipment. www.lgsa-plus. net.au/SustainableChoice NSW Treasury (2004). Total Asset Management: Life Cycle Costing Guideline. www.treasury.nsw.gov. au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/5099/ life_cycle_costings.pdf
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Print cartridges: A sustainable vision Reducing your printed footprint
FACT: Each year in Australia over 18 million printer and toner cartridges are sent to landfill. FACT: This creates 5000 tonnes of waste material. FACT: A toner cartridge can take up to 450 years to decompose. FACT: Up to 3.4 litres of oil are needed to make one new toner cartridge. FACT: Printer cartridge re-use could potentially save up to 4.3 million litres of oil a year.1 FACT: Printing does not need to be an environmental disaster!
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oner Express has long recognised the necessity for environmental responsibility when it comes to the supply of printing consumables. Because of the huge environmental impact that toner cartridge manufacturing and disposal has, we saw the need to develop an economical and sustainable vision for the future. As a proudly Australian-owned company with a 25 year history, we also wanted a local approach to support our SME community. We have developed a twopronged approach to explore the sustainability challenges involved. a variety of products. EccoSave is a company dedicated Firstly, we have partnered with another proud Australian to the reduction of landfill by diverting used cartridges to company to produce top quality and OEM-identical their recycling plant. Approximately 30,000 cartridges are remanufactured toner collected per month, which cartridges using Australian are then sorted, cleaned, labour. Typically, going shredded, granulated and Toner Express is dedicated to the principle with the ‘green’ option of sustainable procurement for local extruded into a material means a more expensive governments, supporting local economies that is used for many product but not so with and providing environmentally preferable different products, including products with considerable economic Toner Express branded compost bins, retaining benefits. ‘Green Alternative’ toner walls and raised garden cartridges. We are able beds. Some components to provide a product are offered to other that is remanufactured remanufacturers, again reducing the need for producing back to original specifications, backed up with a 100 per new parts and the associated resources. cent satisfaction guarantee at a significant saving when Toner Express is dedicated to the principle of compared to OEM prices. Our sustainable procurement for local governments, supporting Green Alternative cartridges local economies and providing environmentally preferable are generally up to 60 per cent products with considerable economic benefits. We have recycled content, which greatly offices in every state and territory, and a long history reduces waste destined for supplying businesses and government agencies at every landfill as well as the valuable level. resources used in manufacturing For more information on how Toner Express can help ‘green’ your a brand-new cartridge. printing process, call one of our toll free numbers in your state. Secondly, any cartridges that ACT 1300 766 951 - NSW 1300 766 953 - QLD 1300 766 957 are unable to be remanufactured VIC 1300 766 958 - WA 1300 762 362 - SA 1300 161 719 are collected and recycled into TAS 1300 726 126 | www.tonerexpress.com.au 1
Keep Australia Beautiful – www.kab.org.au/files/kabweekfactsheet.pdf
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waste management
Waste or a recyclable resource? The wellbeing of the planet or not? There is nothing particularly groundbreaking to suggest that there are alternatives to kerbside collection and landfill of household organic waste.
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omposting has been promoted for some time now as an alternative, and there have been some massive government sponsored initiatives to introduce composting around the world with varying results. An underlying conclusion has been that composting can require much more effort and time than the simple task of rolling the wheelie bin out to the front kerb and later that day rolling it back. Without the commitment of effort and time, the result can be far from satisfactory and the home owner has wanted to revert to the wheelie bin. So what has been missing? Perhaps an enabling technology that eliminates most of the effort and time by the homeowner? Like landfill, in the most common models of composting, breakdown is achieved in the absence of oxygen by unhealthy bacteria that yields high levels of methane and carbon dioxide. This is then compensated for by manual intervention. Organic material decomposing in a healthy
oxygenised environment is called ‘aerobic’ composting. In nature, this aerobic process is most common in areas such as the forest floor, where droppings from trees and animals are converted into relatively stable organic humus or compost. This decomposition doesn’t smell when adequate oxygen is present. So by imitating these natural systems and learning more about the biology and chemistry of composting, we can actually hasten the decomposition process and produce healthy organic compost, and at the same time reduce the greenhouse emissions. A new compost system has utilised this system – the ‘Aerobin’® – a technological breakthrough in home and garden recyclables management. It uses a patented lung or aeration core inside an insulated vessel along with other novel features to provide an optimised environment where aerobic decomposition of organic material is possible year round. Experts say this is the preferable method to compost and will contribute in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
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AEROBIN, THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED STATIC HOME COMPOSTER, EMBODYING INNOVATION, TECHNOLOGY, DESIGN, QUALITY & NATURE
The Aerobin revolution continues.............................. ...................now the all new 200 Litre Aerobin
SO WHAT ARE THE FEATURES THAT THE AEROBIN OFFERS? • Aeration Lung - diffusing air into the biomass - so no turning of the biomass is required - no manual intervention. Avoids anaerobic breakdown of the biomass and the harmful greenhouse gases that are associated with an anaerobic environment (landfill sites) • Insulated Walls and Lid - the thermopilic heat generated during the aerobic breakdown of the organic material is retained within the Aerobin and temperatures within the biomass are more constant, for year round composting even at sub zero temperatures • Aerobic composting of both Kitchen and Garden Waste (actually recyclables) • Moisture recirculation system - helps to maintain moisture within the biomass, which keeps the culture of micro-organisms at optimum levels which again ensures faster, more effective composting • Leachate reservoir for the collection of the liquid nutrients displaced from your biomass materialsdilute what is collected and you have a wonderful natural fertilizer for free • 2 Access Doors for ease of removal of the mature compost and gives you the flexibility in the positioning and location of your Aerobin
Natural condensation
• Due to the high operating temperatures than can be achieved, most weeds, seeds and pathogens if present will be killed
Organic waste Patented aeration lung
Finished compost
And why does this all matter? Because organic waste doesn’t have to be sent off to landfill –there is a better solution. Aerobin offers perhaps for the first time an enabling technology that supports the on-site containment of household organics and provides a quantifiable benefit to planet Earth and our environment.
Leachate reservoir
Level & Solid foundation to be provided
400 & 200 Litre Aerobin illustrated (200 Litre will be available in Tasmania early April, 2012)
THE AEROBIN AT WORK
• Simulate Composting on the website - See info & resources – with the ingredients that you have to compost.
AEROBIN MAKES COMPOSTING QUICK, EASY AND REWARDING
Call us on 1800 615 445 or visit
www.aerobin.com.au
Available from Better Nurseries, Mitre 10, Home Timber & Hardware, Plants Plus and Thrifty Link.
The Aerobin is easy to use, environmentally friendly and can produce healthy compost year round and quickly. Developed in Australia, this new technology came about as a result of concern for the carbon cycle of planet Earth. The Aerobin has been tested and proven to achieve the highest performance in composting against worldranking compost devices by the Swinburne University of Technology, Environment and Biotechnology Centre, Melbourne and has subsequently obtained worldwide endorsements. The Aerobin is easy to use, environmentally friendly and can produce healthy compost year-round and quickly. Aerobin overcomes the problems that many people have experienced with home composting: very slow conversion of the biomass materials to reach compost; manual intervention is necessary; year-round composting is not possible; it smells; the vessel is not rodent-resistant; and finally, there is no perceived benefit. Aerobin simply makes composting easy and rewarding. Across Australia there are some 25,000 400-litre Aerobins in operation and with the wider promotion of the Aerobin, we are now taking Aerobin to the world. Already Aerobin is the number one selling home composter in Finland (brrrrrr – sub zero winters!).
a member of Samvardhana Motherson Group
We believe that Aerobin can offer to Australian home owners and local governments: • the onsite containment of organic household recyclables • a quantifiable reduction in waste going to landfill • a reduction in the frequency of non-organic waste collection from the household • the opportunity for homeowners to be rewarded for their contribution to the reduction of their waste going to landfill • direct savings to local government • the ability to make a quantifiable claim of the commitment to this planet’s environment by local government and its residents • a business model that shows a return on the investment made by local government. Change is always challenging and often resisted – however, the Aerobin will support an alternative lifestyle that engages and benefits both home owners and local council. Please contact Global Environment Management Australia Pty Ltd, Unit 4, 18-22 Lexia Place, Mulgrave, Victoria, 3170, (P-TF) 1800 615 445; (P) 03 8561 7990; (F) 03 8561 7999; (E) info@aerobin.com.au; (W) www.aerobin.com.au
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Promote your sustainability in the Keep Australia Beautiful Sustainable Cities Awards BY LARA SHANNON, KEEP AUSTRALIA BEAUTIFUL
Keep Australia Beautiful has been encouraging people all around Australia to care for their local environments for over 40 years.
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hrough its Sustainable Communities Awards programs – incorporating Tidy Towns, Sustainable Cities and Clean Beaches* – Keep Australia Beautiful works with local government authorities, community groups, schools, businesses and individuals to achieve positive environmental outcomes for long-term sustainability. The Sustainable Cities Awards were first run 20 years ago in Victoria, followed shortly afterwards by New South Wales, and then other states. The program was launched nationally in 2007 to complement Keep Australia Beautiful’s iconic Tidy Towns Awards.
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These Sustainable Cities Awards encourage, motivate and celebrate grassroots initiatives that encompass environmental, social and economic sustainability in urban communities across Australia, which make up 80 per cent of the Australian population. The Sustainable Cities state/territory finalists are announced by July each year, with the Australian awards held and announced in October. There are eight national award categories that are designed to help cities achieve a number of environmental, social and cultural heritage outcomes. The categories also help to identify and reflect upon how well a community interacts to become more sustainable, which is key to its success. The national categories and 2011 winners are outlined below. Community Action and Partnerships – Ipswich, Queensland Recognises achievement in community beautification, presentation, health, wellbeing and pride. Also recognises partnerships between government, business, industry and local community networks. CONTINUED ON PAGE 98
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waste management
Lusty EMS Moving Floor Trailers
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o remain at the forefront of aluminium trailer technology for the waste industry, Lusty EMS has invested heavily in the things that matter most: its manufacturing techniques, design and engineering skills, its people and the very latest materials. But all along, its greatest investment has been in listening to its customers. Lusty EMS Moving Floor trailers are available in both Heavy and Medium Duty construction. The Heavy Duty is a full aluminium construction utilising full aluminium sheets and a full chassis for the waste and construction industry, whereas the Medium Duty is a plank construction utilising extruded planks, rear barn doors and a monocoque chassis construction designed for cartage of landscaping and lighter bulk materials. Whatever your need, Lusty EMS can assist, by bringing together a wealth of knowledge and vast understanding of trailer technology to work with you to create the transport
solution you are looking for. Ever conscious of the need to deliver payload advantage to its transport customers, Lusty EMS reduces every gram of excess weight to deliver lower tare that gives its customers a clear competitive advantage. Further information on the Lusty EMS Moving Floor trailer and other aluminium and steel road transport equipment can be viewed at www.lustyems.com.au
www.lustyems.com.au
Heavy Duty Walking Floor
The forefront of trailer technology
Engineered extra tough for versatile bulk haulage Heavy duty performance matched by its heavy duty construction
Available in single 45’ to 48’ configurations with a maximum 4.3m height Built with industry renowned Keith or Cargo high impact leak proof floor Quality craftsmanship for enhanced performance and durability Queensland - Head Office Richlands 07 3375 0000
Victoria - MaxiTRANS Vic Branch Derrimut 03 8368 1111
South Australia - Lusty EMS Branch Wingfield 08 8243 2211
Western Australia - Park Motor Body Builders Bassendean 08 9378 0600
Victoria - Mildura Truck Centre Sunraysia 03 5051 2800 Swan Hill 03 5033 1372
New South Wales - SX Trailers Sydney 02 9755 3333 Wagga Wagga 02 6921 8377 Newcastle 02 4967 5622
New Zealand - MaxiTRANS Auckland 09 267 5714
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Dame Phyllis Frost Litter Prevention – Kogarah, New South Wales Recognises community litter management, reduction and education initiatives.
The 2011 Australian Sustainable Cities Awards Overall Winner is Kogarah in New South Wales.
Resource Recovery and Waste Management – Charles Sturt, South Australia Recognises achievement in resource recovery and waste management, including initiatives that conserve resources, recover and re-use materials, and the appropriate disposal of non-recyclable materials.
Kogarah’s approach to waste management According to the National Sustainable Cities Judge, Dick Olesinski, Kogarah City Council has had a long history in waste management and resource recovery. Council has been at the forefront of conserving resources, appropriately disposing of non-recyclables and effectively delivering waste education featuring the waste hierarchy and encouraging a close loop cycle.
Environmental Innovation and Protection – Yarra, Victoria Recognises innovative principles and actions associated with developing sustainable communities. Also recognises protection of the natural environment, focusing on the conservation of native flora and fauna. Water Conservation – Subiaco, Western Australia Recognises sustainable water management within communities, which has combined innovative water conservation and water re-use initiatives at the private, industrial and municipal levels, benefiting society and nature. Energy Innovation – Sustainable Skills Training Hub, Australian Capital Territory Recognises sustainable energy management that focuses on innovative energy efficiency measures and climate change issues. Heritage and Culture – Kogarah, New South Wales Recognises communities that proudly preserve and value cultural history. Young Legends – Burnie, Tasmania Recognises positive environmental outcomes that encourage and promote youth initiatives and environmental education and/or achievement.
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Council’s waste management and resource recovery initiatives include: • Council’s current waste diversion from landfill rate is approximately 52 per cent. • Council provides a twice a year clean-up collection for bulky goods, and includes a drop off for e-waste. • Council partners with NSW Railcorp and MX newspaper to provide paper recycling bins at railway stations. • Chemical collections are run annually and attract over 1200 participants. Over the past six years, Council has diverted over 40 tonnes of chemicals from landfill annually: 23 tonnes of paint and 3.5 tonnes of batteries. • Council has also run electronic waste collections, with over 80 tonnes diverted from landfill. • Waste management practices are incorporated into Council events. An ‘Envirobank Reverse Vending Machine’ has been trialled at a number of events. This initiative allows participants to exchange recyclable bottles and cans with a voucher or useful environmental item to encourage recycling. • Council’s depot recycles asphalt profiling material removed from local roads during resurfacing works. The
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waste management
Providing innovative waste management solutions
W
ith 80 years industry experience, J.J. Richards & Sons Pty Ltd, Australia’s largest privately owned waste management company, offers local government safe, efficient and innovative waste management solutions tailored specifically to meet each individual council’s needs. From humble beginnings with only one truck and driver servicing local residents, J.J. Richards now employs over 1600 people, performs a variety of solid, hazardous and liquid waste services for over 70,000 commercial customers, and performs 1.8 million domestic garbage, recycling, sanitary and green waste collection services under contract for 40 local authorities throughout Eastern Australia. ‘2012 is an exciting year for J.J. Richards. We are celebrating 80 years of operation, alongside ABC Radio and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Just like these two well-known Australian icons, we are proud to say J.J. Richards has stood the test of time and continues to serve its customers despite the many challenges we have faced over the past 80 years,’ said company CEO John Richards.
As a recognised leader in the industry for innovation, J.J. Richards has been responsible for developing and introducing several world firsts in ‘best practice’, including a state-of-the-art on-board truck computer system called j-Track®, which is used to monitor and optimise collection vehicle performance and record important service information for each daily run.
Total Waste Management Solutions J.J. Richards & Sons celebrating 80 years of local government service.
Contact us today to find
Offering comprehensive total waste management solutions for local government: Waste collection Recycling collection & processing Greenwaste collection Landfill & transfer station management Bulk waste Commercial services Road sweeping
new j-Track ® system.
out more about our
www.jjrichards.com.au
J.J.Richards & Sons Pty Ltd
Total Waste Management X • the australian local government environment yearbook 2012/2013
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material is stored and re-used as a base and sub-base material for road, kerb and gutter construction. • Council’s depot converts all suitable green waste material into mulch, which is used on gardens within its parks. To support Council’s sustainable waste management strategies, education is delivered by the following: • Council’s St George Recycling and Disposal Guide is a directory that contains drop-off and contact details for local recycling companies. • Council produces recycling brochure stickers for bin lids and recycling magnets. These have also been reviewed by non-English speaking background (NESB) groups. • Kogarah City Council offers the Keep Australia Beautiful (KAB) Waste Watchers and Wonderful World of Organics programs to all primary schools at no cost. • Waste and recycling talks/workshops to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. • Provision of waste reduction equipment and tools at cost to residents. In relation to Litter Prevention, through the Community Strategic Plan, Kogarah’s residents have communicated their vision for a ‘clean’ city. This not only refers to the reduction in litter and rubbish across the city, but also to well-planned trees, well-placed street furniture, and educational information to encourage the community to play their role. Are you a Tidy Town or Sustainable City? To avoid overlap and duplication between the Towns and the Cities awards, it is important to know which communities can enter which awards. The guidelines for
this are set by the state and territory offices of the Keep Australia Beautiful Network. For Sustainable Cities, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria, The Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Queensland have clearly defined areas, whilst Western Australia has an area and a population measure, and Tasmania has six declared cities. To find out more about the Sustainable Cities Awards and other Keep Australia Beautiful programs, or to locate your state/territory office details, visit www.kab.org.au. Education Keep Australia Beautiful delivers tailored environmental education to schools and local communities in the majority of states and territories. These are delivered by professional teachers and/or community practitioners who can also provide advice on how best to approach any gaps in, or opportunities for, local environmental education. Other notable initiatives include: • street litter bins and cigarette butt bins maintained twice daily in and around the shopping precinct, and butt blitzes during KAB Week handing butt bins out to smokers • Stormwater Quality Improvement Devices (SQID) installed in and around Kogarah’s tributaries • the Georges River Riverkeeper program addresses illegal dumping and proper disposal of waste items along the foreshore in Kogarah’s bays and waterways • large anti-litter billboards and posters on railway stations and on buses • Kogarah implemented the ‘Don’t be a tosser’ campaign to discourage littering in Council’s high schools. Litter education material was disseminated to students, whilst litter audits and interactive anti-litter activities were also conducted • The Catchment Crusader: an integrated environmental education program that enables primary school students to become custodians of the environment and addresses sustainable management of catchments • Kogarah has a Graffiti Management Plan and provides free graffiti removal kits to residents and businesses that have experienced graffiti vandalism to homes or businesses • Council uses stickers and tape to identify illegally dumped material, as well as letters and postcards to inform residents that investigations into dumping are being carried out.
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a measurable increase in beverage container recycling in local communities. Applications are open to local government authorities, community groups, local associations, schools, and small to medium enterprises. Keep Australia Beautiful Week Keep Australia Beautiful Week (KAB Week) is held at the end of August each year, and was developed by Keep Australia Beautiful to remind people about the simple things they can do in their daily lives to reduce their impact on the environment and encourage action. In 2012, KAB Week will be held from Monday 20 August to Sunday 26 August, and will focus on addressing highway and road litter – the environmental impact, clean-up costs and enforcement. Local councils can help support the week through local awareness raising and enforcement efforts. Community grants The Keep Australia Beautiful Community Grants Program, funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation, is open to all communities across Australia. Grants of up to $10,000 per applicant are available for projects that will result in
*(Clean Beaches delivered in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia) Contact your state or territory Keep Australia Beautiful office if you would like to find out more about these and other local programs. Visit www.kab.org.au.
Looking for innovation or environmental improvements in your cleaning strategy? The latest in innovation and environmental awareness is supplied by AM Retail Services Pty Ltd, an Australia-wide cleaning service company. Your current cleaning services provision may be in-house or be outsourced. Our services are aimed at reducing landfill by 85 per cent by using appropriate recycle methods such as the ECOBIN recycle systems. The latest in innovation is the SOLUCARE range of chemicals that come in a dosage format for spray bottles or for your mop buckets. This results in: • Reduced storage requirements • No more large chemical containers to be lifted
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For further details in the provision of cleaning services including labour, chemicals and equipment please call: Shane Juegan on 0411 016 693 who will arrange for further details to be supplied by one of our state team members. Alternatively, email Shane for an appointment shane@amservices.com.au
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Benedict GlassSand – paving the way forward
S
INCE 2005, Glass Granulates have been quietly going about the business of turning residual glass fines that were going to landfill into marketable products for the civil, construction and landscape markets across Sydney. Whilst others claim to be developing uses, Benedict through Glass Granulates have been walking the walk. Benedict’s tenacity, combined with the synergies gained through our quarry division and the hard work of both operational staff and the sales and marketing team, has led to significant breakthroughs in developing major sustainable markets. Mick Williams, Benedict’s Sales and Marketing Manager, says, ‘GlassSand has provided challenges for our company that have reignited creativity within the business; it has challenged our people to think outside of the square.’ Benedict’s success in developing sustainable markets has been greatly enhanced by harnessing the support and environmental focus of a few of our major trading partners operating in different markets.
Glass fines residual as received from recycling companies
Benedict GlassSand can be utilised for drainage, pipe -bedding, paving, manufacturing masonry products, and pre mix concrete and asphalt production, just to name a few. We recommend and urge every company that is utilising natural sand in their process to enquire about Benedict GlassSand as a potential alternative to natural sands. Operations Director, Mr Ernest Dupere, says, ‘Whilst local councils, the RMS, Sydney Water, and other companies like Boral/Concrite and Fulton Hogan have embraced the use of this product, the uptake has been a lot slower and more difficult than we expected since we first started seven years ago. Our goal has been to work handin-hand with councils, government departments and our customers to further encourage the use of green products like these in regions throughout Sydney.’ Mr Dupere adds, ‘with the diminishing natural sand resources in and around Sydney, GlassSand is truly, a costeffective and very sensible alternative to natural sand.’
Benedict GlassSand ready for sale or further processing
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CURRENT CURRENT & POTENTIAL & POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS APPLICATIONS
GLASSSAND GLASSSAND FEATURES FEATURES & BENEFITS & BENEFITS
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lighting, exterior + interior
LED lighting at its best
L
ightsense Australia was established on the simple premise that LED lighting technology is the only viable option in the face of environmental sustainability. Lightsense (‘LSA’) is an Australian family-owned and operated company. Incorporated in 2007, LSA was an early mover in the Australian marketplace for LED lighting and as such has a proven track record of prior lighting installations around Australia. LED lighting is not only a much more energy efficient form of lighting than traditional lighting sources, but has an array of additional benefits: long life span and high durability, resulting in less maintenance; less lumen depreciation; no UV light emitted; and it is a clean source of light, meaning it contains no toxic mercury. The company’s focus is high-end high-quality LED street and commercial lighting products, which they consult on and distribute nationally across Australia’s public and private sectors. Lightsense has installed street, car park, courtyard, flood, tunnel, bollard, panel, tube and high bay lights for local government, major utilities, main roads, commercial developments, warehouses, hotels and offices throughout every state in Australia. The durability of our street lights has received much praise, particularly in north-western Australia where dust, heat and water are all factors that have hindered predated sodium and mercury vapour lights. Complete with a patented
respiratory and heat dissipation system, the product range is IP65 rated and Australian Road Standards (AS)1158 and C-Tick compliant. In addition to its robust structure and a more than 50,000-hour life span, all products come with a minimum three- and in many case five-year manufacturer warranty. Whilst the bottom line cost reductions offered by its LED products have been of major interest, many clients also require an aesthetic appearance, particularly in shopping centre, car park, parks and garden installations, which these lights deliver. With both east and west coast offices, Lightsense Australia offers a nationwide service. The company prides itself on its product and sees maximum value in renewable energy applications, an area where it is generating more and more business. Lightsense represents low-energy, green and minimalist design LED lighting for a cleaner and brighter commercial environment. For further information contact Lightsense General Manager John Lawton on 1300 662 622 or email info@lightsense.com.au. The company website, www.lightsense.com.au, also carries a wealth of information.
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makes sense... Advanced LED Lighting
Environmentally friendly High efficacy, high power Energy savings of up to 60% Robust and vandal-tolerant Long lifespan 50,000hrs-12yrs Dust and water resistant Reduce your carbon footprint
DESIGN AND SUPPLY • PHOTOMETRIC DESIGN • PROJECT CONSULTING 1300 662 622 | www.lightsense.com.au | info@lightsense.com.au
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A guide to good-quality LEDs
by brYan douglas, ceo, lighting council australia
S
olid state lighting is a rapidly developing technology that is already offering useful alternatives to some traditional lighting. LEDs (a form of solid state lighting) can provide excellent illumination in a wide range of applications; however, tests on some LED products found in the marketplace indicate a wide variation in product quality and how effectively they may light a home or office. Some lower-quality LEDs sold may not provide sufficient light, may flicker when dimmed, change colour through life or fail prematurely. In all cases, LEDs will be more expensive than traditional light sources and they may not be as energy efficient as you think. LED products are still in their development stages, and consumers need to be aware before investing in the technology. Even high-quality LEDs are in a relatively early stage of development, and comparatively few have undergone rigorous testing in real-life settings. This guide provides some basic advice on how to select a quality LED. Consumers are encouraged to look for the important LED product features summarised below, including light output, colour characteristics, lifetime and energy consumption.
Common LED performance indicators 1. Lamp equivalence claims Be cautious of claims that lamps are equivalent to common incandescent or halogen reflector lamps. The best LEDs are currently about four to five times more efficient than their typical incandescent lamp equivalent. This means that for an LED lamp claiming to produce as much light as a 60watt incandescent or 50-watt dichroic reflector lamp, it will need to use at least 12 watts. Look for sensible numbers on any claim of equivalence and compare products.
2. Light output Another way to determine whether an LED lamp is suitable is to look for information about the light output, measured in lumens (lm). The higher the number of lumens, the more light is emitted. Lumens are the best, most accurate way to compare two different types of lighting. If the lamp carries a lumen output rating, it may also indicate that it was actually tested for this performance – a good sign. The following table shows the number of lumens that a range of traditional incandescent light bulbs produces. An LED with the same number of lumens should be of a similar output. Incandescent (GLS) lamp
Light output in lumens
25W
220 lm
40W
420 lm
60W
720 lm
75W
930 lm
For an LED lamp to provide equivalent light to the common 50-watt MR-16 dichroic downlight, it must produce a minimum of 480 lumens. To achieve light output equivalent to the best quality MR-16 downlight, it will emit 900 lumens. Always look for a clear statement of light output in lumens. Unfortunately, the information on some LED packaging is not always accurate. Sometimes the information on light output will relate to the light source – that is, the electronic LED chip, not the light fixture (luminaire) that uses the chip. Light sources tested under laboratory conditions will always have a higher light output than the LED lamp when used in normal conditions. If unsure about the specifications, intending purchasers should ask the retailer or contact the manufacturer to understand how the light output of the product has been measured. The most useful measure is when the complete light fixture is measured.
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3. Lamp lifetime (hours) Some LEDs claim to have very long rated life – 60,000 hours or more – having been tested but under the best laboratory conditions. For high-quality LED products, the expected (and more believable) lifetime is somewhere in the range of 20,000 to 40,000 hours. It is very likely that the claimed LED life is not based on testing for the indicated life. Rather, life can be based on a minimum 6000 hours operation and then a prediction of the light output decay is used to determine operational lifetime. Look for realistic lifetime, and manufacturers who can back up their lifetime claims, either with testing or certification indicated on the product packaging. 4. Lamp warranty period (years) A good approximation for information on lifetime testing is the warranty period that a manufacturer is willing to provide. For a lamp claiming to last 25,000 hours (about 34 months of continuous operation, or 22 years of regular nightly use in a home), a manufacturer should be able to provide a warranty of at least two to three years. If a longer lifetime is claimed, look for a corresponding longer warranty of perhaps five years. Look for a clear statement of warranty period.
5. Colour temperature LEDs are a coloured light source and are designed to produce white light using a number of methods. As a result, they actually produce white light in a number of ‘shades’ – just like incandescent and fluorescent lamps – from warm white (similar to a regular, incandescent lamp) to cool white or bluish white (daylight). Look for and make sure to choose the colour that you are most comfortable with. 6. Colour Rendering Index Some LEDs are better at helping the human eye discern colours than others, depending on the method used to produce white light. If possible, look for lamps that have a Colour Rendering Index (abbreviated CRI) of at least 65 for outdoor use, and 80 or better for indoor use. A new international measurement more specific to LEDs is under development, but in the meantime, the best way to judge how well the LED light influences the colour of objects is, if possible, to view them installed in the intended application. Look for and make sure to choose a CRI number to suit the application.
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Brand Name: xyz brand Supplier/Product ID: xxx/xxx
7. Energy efficiency Many people assume that LED lamps must be extremely energy efficient; however, this is not always the case. Many LEDs currently on the market are similar to or a little less efficient than the equivalent fluorescent lighting. Some poorquality LED lamps have been found to be only marginally more efficient than incandescent lighting, and less energy efficient than other types of lighting, such as compact fluorescent lamps. The energy efficiency of a light is measured in lumens per watt (lm/W). If this measurement is not marked on the package, simply divide the number of lumens by the number of watts. The higher the number, the more efficient the product. Look for an energy efficiency rating on the product. 8. Safety rating All lamps must be safe to operate. At a minimum, this means they have met mandatory requirements and earned their safety marks. While marks such as ‘UL’, ‘CE’ or other certification have no legal status in Australia, they may indicate that the product meets the required standards. Look for, at a minimum, a compliance claim to the standard IEC 62560. 9. Other label or website information Some ‘information’ on LED packaging may in reality be misinformation. Less reputable suppliers may provide a range of logos, and other cryptic insignia, that have minimal or no value. Such may include ‘UL’, ‘CE’, ‘RoHS’, various numbers and green claims (greenwash). Look for and view such claims with scepticism. Choosing the right light Today there is a range of efficient lighting products available to the consumer. When you go to select a light that is right for you and where you want to use it, you should take into account that LED lights may not always be the best choice for all lighting tasks. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and even in some cases halogen lamps, may provide you with more light, more efficient lighting and/or better quality lighting.
LED Performance Solid State Lighting Luminaire Luminous Flux Luminous Efficacy
XXX lm XX lm/W
INPUT POWER
XX W
TEST VOLTAGE 240V
Colour
Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) Colour Rendering Index (CRI, Ra) LIGHT COLOUR
[3000K WARM WHITE]
Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT)
WARM WHITE
2600K
XXXX K XX
COOL WHITE
3200K
DAYLIGHT
4500K
6500K
Visit www.lightingcouncil.com.au for the Label Reference Guide The specifications above are contained in certified or accredited reports provided to Lighting Council Australia Ltd by the manufacturer/supplier of this product. Lighting Council Australia makes no representation as to the product’s specification or suitability.
Dimmable
Non-dimmable
A sample SSL Quality Scheme label
An Australian certification scheme for LEDs Lighting Council Australia – a not-for-profit organisation representing Australia’s lighting industry – has developed a labelling-based certification program to assist purchasers of LED products. The SSL Quality Scheme is a voluntary industry program that provides confidence to the market that an LED product carrying the Scheme’s label matches certain critical performance claims made by the supplier (energy efficiency, light output, colour temperature and CRI). Registered products appear on a searchable database on Lighting Council Australia’s website (www.lightingcouncil.com.au). Where to find more information Many LEDs contain basic information on the product packaging. You can also look on the manufacturer’s website for further information, or ask staff in specialist lighting stores. There are several quality certification programs for LED lamps. The following websites have information about quality LED lamps: Lighting Council Australia: www.lightingcouncil.com.au Energy Star: www.energystar.gov Topten: www.topten.info Energy Savings Trust: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
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Lighting the way to an energy efficient future
C
arbon Management Solutions (CMS) is assisting local governments to reduce their carbon emissions footprint by improving the energy efficiency in council offices, community buildings and facilities. CMS has introduced a range of evolutionary energy efficient lights that have a longer life span than other commercial lights, are environmentally safe and user friendly (with no flicker or glare, which is easy on the eyes). They work smarter, perform better and are more reliable, with tests showing CMS lights last 100 times longer when compared to incandescent lights, 5-15 times when compared with HID lights and 5-10 times when compared with fluorescent lights. By using CMS lights, local governments can: • reduce energy consumption • save up to 50 per cent on lighting costs and reduce electricity bills
• decrease maintenance costs • minimise environmental impact and eliminate disposal costs • cut carbon emissions and carbon tax payable • increase competitiveness and assets value. Available as office lights, flood lights and highbay lights, CMS lights are easy to install and can be replaced within council offices, buildings and facilities with minimal disruption to work flows. To make the switch to an energy efficient future call 1300 902 110 or visit www.carbonmanagement.com.au. About Carbon Management Solutions Carbon Management Solutions has been specialising in solar power systems, commercial lighting and solar power pumps since 2002. CMS headquarters boast state-of-the-art research and development facilities, which invest heavily in innovative energy-efficient technology. All CMS products are tried and tested to Australian standards.
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Thiess services transforms flood predictability When major flooding struck northwest Victoria in 2010, flood plain inundation was monitored much the same as it had been for decades, with manual markers and visual recording.
I
took only a couple of hours to deploy before they began t was a well tried flood management practice, but one fraught with inaccuracy from misinterpretation, and with transmitting real-time data at 10-minute intervals back to the hosted website. inherent safety risks. Unlike the manual and labour intensive methods For Thiess Services’ regional hydrographer, Rohan previously employed, the PALS provided automated realOliver, it was evident that existing technology could be time flood level data and warnings via the cellular network. packaged to provide a cost effective and easily deployable Mark Pickles says this system became a valuable tool for real-time data reporting system. The technological solution was provided by fellow Thiess authorities providing vital warnings to the general public. ‘It gave authorities an Services hydrographer Mike ability to see what the Wheaton, who took up the this system became a valuable tool for hydrograph looked like research and innovation authorities providing vital warnings to the in areas where there was challenge with enthusiastic general public no historical data or local support and funding from knowledge available. This Victoria’s Department enabled them to better of Sustainability and predict when roads would Environment. be blocked or become passable, or when areas would be The newly developed system was near completion when flooding returned to Victoria in 2012. The system was flooded or free from inundation.’ The manual system had two major weaknesses. The rushed into action and Thiess Services’ Portable Automated first was that gauges would only be read sporadically, and Logger System – or PALS – was born. the recording of that information was prone to error and Thiess Services’ regional hydrographer, Mark Pickles, misinterpretation. organised deployment of 10 PALS units to the field to monitor the level and duration of flood inundation. Each unit
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The second problem was that there could be significant safety risks associated with trying to access sites during major floods. ‘Continual real-time monitoring and the uploading of near real-time data to a central website takes most of the guesswork out of interpreting the movement of the flood wave,’ Mark explains. For Mike Wheaton, who did much of the development work, PALS was a major achievement. ‘We were thrilled with the response. The feedback from the DSE Flood Group, Incident Control Centre, and Bureau of Meteorology has been absolutely fantastic.’ Thiess Services is continuing to develop PALS to further improve its flood performance and also extend its application. Mark Pickles says it has enormous potential for shortterm environmental monitoring with onboard sensors capable of recording a range of water quality and other parameters. Technology will continue to improve PALS with the potential to add video streaming and satellite data links for areas without cellular access. ‘All authorities involved in flood management across the country should take a look at our system,’ Mr Pickles said. ‘PALS will massively improve the predictability of future flood events.’
OUR DATA FLOWS IN REAL TIME. BECAUSE YOUR WATER DOES. Our Hydrographic Services Group is an industry leader in water measurement, environmental monitoring, data management and compliance reporting. From field collection through to data transmission and storage, we manage the flow of real-time data from hundreds of monitoring sites through a secure web-based user interface. Our cost effective, reliable and accurate environmental data collection includes:
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Surface and groundwater monitoring Water quality sampling Hydrology, hydraulics, metering and meteorology services
We operate 1500 permanent water information monitoring stations, including stream, irrigation, water storage, water quality and meteorological monitoring sites in rural and urban areas as well for the mining sector. We also monitor more than 2500 groundwater bores. CONTACT THIESS SERVICES’ HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES GROUP TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN HELP YOU. CALL QLD ON 07 3169 8300, NSW 02 8892 5900, VIC 03 9684 3333 OR VISIT THIESS-SERVICES.COM.AU
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Total water cycle management in south-east
Queensland
by moreton bay regional council
Maroochy River and Twin Waters Resort Image courtesy Moreton Bay Regional Council
South-east Queensland (SEQ) has one of the fastest-growing populations in Australia. Projected population expansion will further pressure the region’s waterways, which largely drain into Moreton Bay and are already in poor health, as are areas of the Bay itself.
I
n 2009, when the Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program (EHMP) reported a general decline in all receiving estuaries and waters in SEQ, Moreton Bay was found to have declined to the lowest ecosystem health rating in more than a decade of monitoring. The 2011 Report Card Results were more positive, with some freshwater streams and estuaries improving in grade.
This was despite the fact that the flooding events, which hit south-east Queensland that year, had moved a significant amount of sediment and nutrients from the catchments out into the bay. Even so, the flooding events highlighted the need to prepare catchments for rainfall events by managing erosion, rehabilitating riparian (riverbank) areas, stabilising creek channels, investing in good agricultural practices and sustainably managing urban water. Achieving this requires detailed water resource management plans that ensure land use and infrastructure planning are environmentally sustainable, and securing reliable water supplies to cater for forecast population growth. This planning is now a necessity: the Queensland Government, under its revised Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009 (EPP Water), now requires all Local Government Authorities (LGAs) with a population of more
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than 25,000 people to develop and implement a Total Water Cycle Management (TWCM) Plan specific to their local government areas before 1 July 2014. In SEQ, local governments must develop their plan before 1 July 2012. The plan must identify the interrelationships between all elements of the water cycle, to facilitate sustainable development and planning. It must provide for stormwater management to improve quality and flow, management of flood risk, and integration of water use in the local government area. It also must consider demand management, water recycling and ways to use recycled water, stormwater harvesting, and forecast of water supply requirements for the area. In response to its pressing water issues, Moreton Bay Regional Council (MBRC) has become the first LGA to make significant progress with TWCM Planning. By identifying the unique challenges of the region through the TWCM Plan, the council hopes to ensure that the existing social, environmental and economic values of the region are maintained or enhanced. To that end, engineering and environmental consultancy BMT WBM, using a suite of modelling tools from eWater including ‘Source’, ‘Urban Developer’ and ‘music’, worked with MBRC to develop a TWCM Strategy for the region as a first phase of the overall TWCM Plan. Work to date so impressed the judges that it won the Excellence in Strategic or Master Planning award in the 2011 SIAQ Awards for Excellence. The Award recognises excellence in development of integrated stormwater management plans. Accounting for water cycles The Moreton Bay Council region comprises 14 major catchments extending from the hinterland to the coast, and covering an area of approximately 200,000 hectares. The region is bordered by the local government areas of Brisbane to the south, Sunshine Coast to the north, and Somerset to the west. Developing a TWCM plan for the region entailed understanding both current and likely future conditions affecting each catchment. To achieve this, BMT WBM developed water cycle ‘accounts’ outlining the existing and future conditions for all elements of the water cycle in every catchment. Those elements were: rainfall, evapotranspiration, groundwater drainage loss, rural extractions, reticulated water yield, reticulated water demand, imported/exported reticulated water, network leakage, stormwater discharges, wastewater discharges and recycled water.
Water Monitoring in Moreton Bay Image courtesy Healthy Waterways.
The accounts were informed by information gathered during an initial data collection and review process. Assumptions used to quantify key elements of the water cycle were clearly reported to ensure transparency and identify any limitations to the study. Here, eWater’s Source hydrological modelling platform played a critical role. Source enables users to generate effective, transparent catchment management scenarios and options. The software provides a framework for modelling the amounts of water and contaminants flowing though a catchment and into major rivers, wetlands, lakes, or estuaries. Source integrates an array of models, data and knowledge that can be used to simulate how climate and catchment variables (rainfall, evaporation, land use, vegetation) affect runoff, sediment and contaminants. ‘We used eWater’s Source in that first phase to model the constituents and the hydrology of the land, and put that together with the built infrastructure sources and other factors,’ says BMT WBM National Practice Leader, Water Quality, Tony Weber. CONTINUED ON PAGE 116 the australian local government environment yearbook 2012 • 113
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water
Delivering water solutions to local government for over 40 years. Xylem is a world leader in water technology, providing equipment and services for water and wastewater applications with a broad portfolio of products and services that address the full cycle of water — from collection, distribution and use to its return to the environment.
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rom water desalination and industrial water treatment to public wastewater filtration, water re-use and ultrapure water production, our applications and integrated solutions make the treatment and transport of water and wastewater possible for customers all over the world. Xylem Water Solutions has a versatile product range that expands across all markets, with the capability of providing the right solution in pumping, mixing, water disinfection, filtration and aeration. What’s more, thanks to our sustainable policies, this is done in the most efficient and environmentally friendly way possible. Xylem profile: Our name may be new but our reputation is built on nearly a century of leadership and value creation for our stakeholders. Xylem has been servicing Australia for over 40 years with a national network of sales, rental and service. Xylem – a premium applications solutions company dedicated exclusively to solving our customers’ most challenging water problems – was formed from ITT Corporation’s spinoff of several strategic business segments in October 2011: namely the water and wastewater, residential and commercial water, analytics and flow control businesses.
With greater strategic focus than ever before, a strong and experienced leadership team, a high performance company culture and a clear plan for short- and longterm growth globally, we are building on the strength of our history to deliver a higher level of customer service, innovation and value – today and well into the future. Our strong product brands will continue to drive our business forward in moving, testing, analysing and treating water, and are the essential building blocks of the Xylem brand. The Xylem solution: Working in a true partnership, we listen, learn and adapt to your local environment. As a leader in product innovation and system engineering technology, we create value for our customers by offering complete product, design, installation and service packages. At Xylem, we have the Flygt, Godwin, Leopold, Sanitaire and Wedeco brands under our umbrella, and combined with our industry knowledge, service and support we believe Xylem should be your first choice when it comes to solving your water challenges. Specialising in advanced water treatment, intelligent fluid solutions, mining and construction, monitoring and control, wastewater treatment and wastewater and industrial pumps we can cover your sales, rental and service needs, no matter what the situation. Contact Xylem today on 13 19 14 Email: enquiry.au@xyleminc.com www.xylemwatersolutions.com/au
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From ITT comes Xylem. Historically, ITT Water & Wastewater was part of the ITT Corporation, a global engineering and manufacturing company providing advanced technical and operational services to markets within Defence, Aerospace and Fluid Technology. We are 12,000 people unified in a common purpose: creating innovative solutions to global water challenges. We know this is only achieved when partnering closely with our customers. We are committed to continuing the product innovation and forward thinking you’ve come to expect from the collection of market-leading brands in the Xylem portfolio. We are 12,000 people unified in a common purpose: creating innovative solutions to global water challenges. We know this is only achieved when partnering closely with our customers. We are committed to continuing the product innovation and forward thinking you’ve come to expect from the collection of market-leading brands in the Xylem portfolio.
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water
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 113
‘What Source gave us was the land surface source and sinks in terms of flows and in terms of water quantity and water quality, which we then combined with water supply and wastewater supply demands, wastewater production, and so on. ‘Then in phase two we used Source in a similar role, but also to provide forcing data for receiving water quality models. This helped us determine the sustainable loads into the various catchments within the Moreton Bay region,’ he says. ‘Most of the time what it showed us was that we couldn’t achieve the predicted sustainable loads, even if the catchments were fully naturalised. And it gave us a very quick assessment to be able to understand that perhaps the water quality targets that had been set for deriving the sustainable loads were not appropriate for those catchments and needed to be revised. ‘Source allowed us to clearly understand the influence of the land on the receiving environment.’ Weber says this understanding is significant, because studies to achieve this are both complex and costly; meaning more simplistic methods are often used in such cases. BMT WBM’s work shows that such superficial understandings can be quite deficient unless followed up by more detailed modelling work. To assist in the selection of solutions for further investigations during the detailed planning stage, a Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA) assessment approach was used. Understanding development pressures In the second phase, BMT WBM used eWater’s Urban Developer modelling software to examine the pressures coming from areas of new development within the region, and to highlight their impact upon water supply and the likely degree of wastewater production. Urban Developer allows urban water managers to compare integrated water management options, ranging in scale from the allotment to the suburb level. ‘Looking at the areas of new development within the region, we used Urban Developer to examine alternate supply options relatively quickly: the rainwater tanks, stormwater harvesting, and recycled water. We could see what each of those elements delivered individually, and determine the best combination of those to meet our objectives for an area,’ says project manager and senior environmental engineer at BMT WBM, Nicole Ramilo.
‘The outcomes from that work identified relatively quickly that we could meet a lot of the yield using rainwater tanks, if required. We could also reduce pollutant loads significantly if we could use recycled water quite a bit in a catchment. What we wanted to do was take treated wastewater, and use it in park areas as well as for outdoor watering and other suitable uses in the residential areas. ‘That led to an understanding of the relative merits of combinations of different sources, and which ones were best able to help us.’ Examining scenarios BMT WBM also used eWater’s ‘music’ – model for urban stormwater improvement conceptualisation – to assess the performance of the treatment options and retrofitting for new developments. ‘What we were looking at there in terms of new developments was the implications of addressing state legislative requirements and local government planning policy,’ Ramilo says. ‘Then we took it a step further by asking what would be required to achieve no change in loads from new development. ‘We used music to assess those scenarios to determine what the area required and therefore what the ‘land take’ would be, the likely cost of those solutions, and then how effective they were on a unit cost basis and on a dollars per kilo removed basis.’ The ultimate goal of the exercise, Ramilo says, is to tie costing information to the pollutant load and flow information, and then to develop ‘cost curves’ with the assistance of CSIRO to help Council evaluate treatment options. ‘Being able to have a powerful suite of tools to call on has been a big advantage,’ Ramilo says. ‘Having the right tools at the right scale allowed us to present options for the implementation of Total Water Cycle Management, including those that will give the best cost-effectiveness, in terms of a triple bottom line assessment.’ Visit www.ewater.com.au for more information on eWater’s modelling tools for water management
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Fifteen ideas for garden design By Diana Snape
1.
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garden is an artistic creation that evolves through time and is never ‘finished’; gardeners are artists who follow their own vision and those of us who love Australian plants can gain inspiration directly from aspects of the Australian landscape.
9. A sympathetic formal touch – a well-made stone wall, paving of appropriate colour and outline, or a sculpture – can bring solidity to the fine foliage of many Australian plants.
2. Plants that occur naturally in the same environment – desert, for example, or coastal – usually look happy together in the garden because of their complementary adaptations, as well as their similar requirements.
10. Australian rainforest plants continue to gain popularity because of their colourful new foliage, flowers and fruit; with glossy green leaves of medium size, they blend well with exotic plants.
3. Sculptural Australian plants, like tree ferns, grasstrees, Gymea lilies and banksias, will distinguish a garden and deserve to be treated with respect and placed carefully in a garden landscape.
11. There are many small-leaved Australian plants (for example lilly pillies, melaleucas, leptospermums, westringias) that can be pruned and treated formally for hedges or even topiary, to be used for example as a focal point among less formal shrubs.
4. Three or four different species of the numerous Australian groundcover plants – such as daisies, hibbertias (guinea flowers) and scaevolas (fan flowers) – can be chosen and repeated to create a lovely tapestry effect at ground level. 5. Even in a small garden, a tree of the appropriate size – such as one of the smaller eucalypts – extends the space of the garden upwards, acting as a focal point as well as being a magnet for birds. 6. Don’t just look at the shapes of the plants in a garden, look also at the shapes of the spaces between plants; the balance of ‘mass’ and ‘void’ should be satisfying. 7. Australian daisies and grasses combine nicely with rocks – a pleasing contrast of soft and hard textures, with clumped or sprawling daisies and tufted grasses complementing the definite curved or straight lines of rocks. 8. A huge variety of fine foliaged tufted Australian plants look excellent beside water – rushes, sedges and lilies, either upright or weeping. There are shrubs and small trees, too, with weeping foliage that is very appealing when reflected in water.
12. From the variety of Australian shrubs now available, such as the range of beautiful grevilleas, it is possible to create wonderful massed or layered garden beds with colour schemes that can be vivid or subtle. Remember to tip-prune. 13. The rapid growth of some large shrubs or small trees, in particular some acacias, is of benefit in planting for succession – it enables them to be used as ‘nurse’ plants for a screen, and for shelter while slower growing plants are being established. 14. A garden of low shrubs (a metre or less, pruned if necessary to maintain this height) gives an open and spacious feel to the garden, while several small eucalypts with fine trunks could provide a vertical element. 15. The variety of foliage of Australian plants is amazing; in form, texture, colour – from large and dramatic to tiny, delicate leaves – and many attractive effects can be achieved with foliage alone.
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Machinery workshop – Finland’s first machinery workshop was built at Fiskars in 1837.
Timeless quality, design and innovation
F
iskars’ belief is that all things, even the simplest, can be made better and smarter. It’s this pursuit of perfection that drives Fiskars to design and manufacture its range of consumer products for the home, garden and outdoors. Founded in the small village of Fiskars Finland in 1649, The Fiskars Corporation is today one of the western world’s oldest companies and is the oldest company in Finland. It all began in 1649 when a Dutch merchant named Peter Thorwöste was given a charter to establish a blast furnace and forging operation in the small village of Fiskars in southern Finland. The furnace produced pig iron that was shingled to wrought iron and in the early years Fiskars made nails, wire, hoes, and metal reinforced wheels from wrought iron. As industrial and economic development accelerated in Europe, Fiskars was at the forefront of innovation and expanded the knife works factory to become a premier steel and ironworks company, manufacturing agricultural machinery, steam engines and household utensils, including candlesticks, forks, and scissors. Fiskars was also one of the first companies in Europe to manufacture microwave ovens.
The first pair of Fiskars scissors was created more than 130 years ago, made of heavy forged steel. In 1967, Fiskars launched its iconic orange-handled scissors, pioneering a revolutionary manufacturing process, ergonomic handles and innovative blades that offered precision, comfort and durability far superior to its peers. Nowadays a must-have in households worldwide, the orange-handled scissors are symbolic to Fiskars commitment to exclusive quality and innovative design. Today, Fiskars is still at the forefront of design and technology and is dedicated to producing tools that set new standards for the industry. Fiskars products combine patent-pending technology, ergonomic design features and a distinguished look and feel, supreme in comfort and style. Fiskars products are renowned for their functionality, ease of use and design, and have been recognised worldwide with numerous design awards, including red dot design awards, iF design awards, The Fennia Prize – Good design grows global, International Design Awards (IDA) and GOOD DESIGN Awards. In 2011, Fiskars was awarded no fewer than 10 prestigious GOOD DESIGN™ Awards. These awards emphasise quality design of the highest form, function and aesthetic.
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parks + gardens Fiskars’ commitment to innovation has earned many of its craft and garden products the Ease-of-Use certification from the Arthritis Foundation® and helped millions of people suffering from arthritis to continue to do the things they enjoy. Fiskars’ range of high-performance garden cutting tools has been developed to do the hard work so that gardeners don’t have to. Passed through rigorous scientific and consumer testing, the revolutionary PowerGear™ range of pruners, loppers and hedge shears boasts a unique gearing mechanism that multiplies cutting force, comfortable handles to reduce pressure on joints and on the pruners, a handle that rolls to follow the hand’s natural clenching motion – making the workload easier and eliminating the pain and strain for young and senior gardeners. Safety is also of prime concern with the design and development of Fiskars’ products and the range of tree pruners makes hard-to-reach garden tasks accessible from a safe standing position. Fiskars tree pruners are multiuse tools that allow accessibility to tree crowns and dense bushes, enabling a gardener to trim overhead without needing a ladder, or at ground level without bending or kneeling. Fiskars’ new ergonomic range of shovels, spades and forks is designed from the principles of ergonomics, with optimised shapes, angles, balance and material, to minimise fatigue to provide the most pleasant working experience. The long shaft and the meticulously studied 26-degree lifting angle ensure a natural working posture and a good balance with the load, which minimises strains on back and shoulders. The 17-degree handle angle ensures a comfortable positioning for the hand when lifting. The drop profile, cold-rolled steel tubing ensures a lightweight and durable shaft, which is wrapped with a ‘firm grip’ sleeve to enhance control and insulate from the cold. Another noteworthy example of Fiskars’ aspiration to reinvent the consumer experience through the use of advanced engineering and materials is the QuikDrill™. The new Fiskars QuikDrill™ represents a new approach to soil extraction by abandoning the traditional large helical screw thread of existing garden drill solutions in favour of two optimally angled boron steel blades, secured around a sharp soil-piercing drill spike. This design not only works around the challenges of cutting through substrates like thick grass, but also more typically avoids jamming in the soil as the tool penetrates deeper. With optimal penetration of up to 60 centimetres even in difficult clay or stony ground, Fiskars QuikDrill™ is the perfect solution for many garden tasks and offers a smarter way of digging. Fiskars products are available at Bunnings, Mitre10, Home Hardware and other good retail stores.
Fiskars telescopic tree pruner
Fiskars digging tools
Web: www.fiskars.com Ph: (03) 8645 2400 Email: australia@fiskars.com
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Local government and plant conservation BY mark richardson, THe Australian Network for Plant Conservation
Local government can greatly influence plant conservation outcomes in many ways — through, for example, effective council and community involvement, the management of roadside vegetation, onground management of its reserves, and the use of integrated conservation to conserve species both on and off site.
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ne of the challenges for many local governments in planning for the management of biodiversity is designing a conservation network within an often highly fragmented and urbanised landscape. Such networks, however, have enabled local government to manage natural resources more strategically and are a useful tool for assisting and directing on-ground works such as revegetation and weed eradication.
Who needs to be involved? Elected members of local government, staff and members of the community all have a role to play in realising the potential for local government in plant conservation. Effective plant conservation programs most strongly rely on senior management staff that are open to new ideas and can work at a high level to forge the necessary links. They are the most aware of the legal responsibilities of councils and have the greatest influence in implementing changes to legislation about vegetation management. Senior managers are also vital for communication down from the council and up from technical and field staff and the community. All local governments have at least one staff member responsible in some way for plant conservation; however, to have a substantial impact on plant conservation it will be important for all councils to have a botanically and technically competent biodiversity officer, a biodiversity plan and the resources to implement it. This may even require
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the amendment of conservation acts so that natural resource management is a part of local government, and not separate from it. The networking of the technical staff is also important, and the Native Vegetation Marker Scheme that was developed by the Local Government Biodiversity Officers Network is a good example of technical staff working together to raise the profile of plant conservation in councils.
digging just got a hole lot easier
As well as looking at the conservation of natural vegetation, there is also a good opportunity for councils to be involved at a species level. This can be successfully achieved by implementing the concept of integrated plant conservation, which involves protecting plant species both on and off site.
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Integrated conservation As well as looking at the conservation of natural vegetation, there is also a good opportunity for councils to be involved at a species level. This can be successfully achieved by implementing the concept of integrated plant conservation, which involves protecting plant species both on and off site. A good example of this concept is the program that was developed by the City of Greater Geelong. It was driven by their Biodiversity Strategy, which included a significant target for the management of biodiversity in the City of Greater Geelong: ‘no further species loss’. Threatened species conservation is unlikely to be achieved on any scale by a council unless a coordinated
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Many improvements in local plant conservation practice have also come through community action, either from grassroots activists influencing policy, or the practical on-ground voluntary work of friends groups; however, to ensure that the volunteers make the greatest difference, it is vital that they are well trained and supervised. The Burnside Biodiversity Volunteers, supported by the City of Burnside, is a good example of this.
www.fiskars.com Fiskars Australia | Phone 03 8645 2400 | Email australia@fiskars.com
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and integrated approach is developed and implemented. Essentially, the principles associated with integrated conservation relate to the development and implementation of specific action plans for biodiversity protection using a variety of conservation tools/techniques. The three main areas associated with the integrated approach are the: • management, protection and enhancement of remnant rare plant populations, including habitat protection, habitat rehabilitation, the removal or minimisation of threatening processes, and active management designed to increase population size • establishment of off-site collections and populations, including the propagation and production of plant material for translocation/reintroduction and for educational purposes through display. In addition, there is considerable scope to facilitate research into germination and life cycles, genetics, reintroduction techniques, et cetera • establishment of partnerships with key agencies, community groups and individuals within the conservation network. An important aspect of this program is that it would heavily rely on partnerships and knowledge sharing between the project team and the many community groups and custodians of years of local knowledge. Involving the
Roadside vegetation
Roadside vegetation plays an incredibly important role in the conservation of Australia’s flora. In heavily cleared landscapes, it can form a significant proportion of the remaining native vegetation. In Western Australia, for example, over 50 per cent of the state’s declared rare flora have at least one roadside population, and four species occur only in road reserves community is not only a potentially valuable resource for information; it is also an excellent opportunity to greatly improve their awareness of local plant conservation issues. Working together, these teams can protect and manage remnant-threatened vegetation and propagate threatened species for the purposes of reintroduction, display and managed off-site collections of threatened species. Roadside vegetation Roadside vegetation plays an incredibly important role in the conservation of Australia’s flora. In heavily cleared landscapes, it can form a significant proportion of the remaining native vegetation. In Western Australia, for example, over 50 per cent of the state’s declared rare flora have at least one roadside population, and four species occur only in road reserves. Roadside vegetation has inherent problems for conservation. Edge effects, such as fertiliser drift and wind exposure, have a significant effect on roadside vegetation and are exacerbated by the simple act of road maintenance and the drastic results of road construction. The saying, ‘current management equals tomorrow’s values’, holds true for roadside conservation, as small changes in maintenance practices and careful consideration of construction projects can and do make a considerable difference in conserving biodiversity in road reserves. While some local governments remain focused on the traditional roads, rates and rubbish, there has been a shift in attitudes both within the local communities and in government staff. More and more local government engineers recognise the value of roadside vegetation and are therefore interested in conserving what remains. Local governments are, however, constrained by ability, knowledge and resources, which makes the Roadside Conservation Committee’s role in education and liaison essential.
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Conclusion In many ways, plant conservation is still of minor concern to councils given the pressure that many face to expedite native vegetation clearance and streamline development by, for example, removing clearance restrictions in areas zoned urban, commercial and industrial. Some of the biggest problems for plant conservation in urban areas are social rather than technical, and to address this it will be necessary to learn to manage the public dislike of the seasonality and the perceived lack of colour and diversity in local native flora. Urban sites are primarily managed so that the aesthetic taste of urban residents is not severely challenged and so that vegetation change is gradual. It is a rare site in an urban area that can be managed purely for conservation and habitat; however, the management of plant conservation and the maintenance of ecological function can still be consistent with the desire to achieve aesthetic and recreational outcomes. This could be a very important part of an integrated conservation program. With the conflicting demands of a modern urban population, and the realities of local politics, it is unlikely that any local authority will ever have enough resources to achieve a perfect local plant conservation program. The key is to know what is the most important, and where not to compromise.
Ergonomic Post Hole Shovel • A trade quality shovel ideal for digging post holes and clearing deep, narrow holes and pits • Ergonomically designed with a long, lightweight handle for extra leverage • Clever 40° angle on the handle minimises strain on the back and shoulders • Sharpened blade allows for easy digging and better penetration of the soil
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Mapping roadside vegetation enables road managers to take appropriate action in areas with high conservationvalue vegetation. Such maps can facilitate targeted weed control and strategic revegetation, and encourage the inclusion of roadside vegetation in planning shelterbelts. Education is again vital for such work. This, importantly, includes people working on the front line of impact every day. Without an appreciation of what native vegetation is and why we should protect it, grader drivers, for example, will continue to tidy the scrub and may know little about what damage their actions may cause. Without fail, training helps to widen eyes and minds and produce some healthy discussion on balancing needs.
take the hard work out of Digging
Further information about joining the Australian Network for Plant Conservation can be seen at www.anpc.asn.au. References: Wilson, C. (2010) Local Government involvement in Western Australia’s roadside vegetation management. APC, 18(3 Crompton, A. (2010) Why local government is a minor player in plant conservation in South Australia. APC, 18(3) Arnott, J. et al. (2005) Discussion Paper: Integrated Plant Conservation City of Greater Geelong. City of Greater Geelong.
www.fiskars.com Fiskars Australia | Phone 03 8645 2400 | Email australia@fiskars.com
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The Botanic Gardens of Queensland BY Lawrie Smith AM, Landscape Architect, Hon Secretary BGANZQ
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Queensland State Herbarium has identified and classified thirteen bioregions throughout the state – Cape York, Wet Tropics, Einasleigh Uplands, Gulf Plains, Northwest Highlands, Central Queensland Coast, Brigalow Belt, Desert Uplands, Mitchell Grass Downs, Southeast Queensland, New England Tableland, Mulga Lands and the Channel Country. Currently, there are more than 25 botanic gardens in various stages of development, with at least one located in each of these bioregions.
his development process has not been specifically planned, but there have been five distinct periods in the establishment of the network of botanic gardens. In the first 30 years following the proclamation of the state, botanic gardens were established in Brisbane (1855), Rockhampton (1869), Townsville Queens Gardens (1870), Toowoomba Queens Gardens (1875), Cooktown (1878) and Cairns (1886). There was a long pause of almost 50 years until 1932, when Townsville Anderson Park and Toowoomba Laurel Bank were added as second gardens, and Myall Park was established in 1941. Thirty years later, Brisbane commenced a new botanic garden at Mt Coot-tha in 1970, with Bowen and Hervey Bay following in 1974. In the same year, Fairhill Nursery on the Sunshine Coast developed its botanic gardens as a significant research facility for native plants. The pace of development then quickened, primarily as a result of a Royal Australian Institute of Parks and Recreation conference in Coffs Harbour, which investigated the collections of native plants in the existing Australian botanic gardens and arboreta. The resulting comprehensive report (1984) recommended the development of a series of botanic gardens be developed in the regions of Australia to supplement and extend the research and knowledge of Australia’s unique flora. The collections in the various gardens basically concentrated on the economic and aesthetic value of exotic plant material. During the 1980s, the Bicentenary of Australia stimulated perhaps the most dynamic period of development, with new botanic gardens being established throughout Queensland: Gladstone Tondoon (1979), Innisfail (1980), Bundaberg (1981), Tamborine Mountain (1983), Redcliffe (1984), Emerald (1987), Noosa (1987), and in 1988 Townsville Palmetum, Rockhampton Kershaw, Ipswich Kholo and Goondiwindi. The stimulation of the bicentenary, together with the
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growing interest in native plants, saw the development of the network of botanic gardens continue to expand throughout the 1990s into the 21st century: Mt Isa (1990), Gold Coast (1991), Longreach (1991), Barcaldine (1992), Mackay (1994), Maroochy (1994), Tweed (1994), Redlands IndigiScapes (1997), National Tropical Botanic Gardens (2003), Ingham Tyto Wetlands (2007) and Whitsunday (2009). Most of these botanic gardens continue to develop as a vital component of the regional community; unfortunately some have faltered and are waiting for a new stimulus. BGANZQ believes that the potential commemoration in 2020 of 250 years since Captain Cook and Joseph Banks sailed up the east coast in 1770 will set off a new wave of development for the Botanic Gardens of Australia. Almost without exception, every new regional botanic garden in Queensland established during the past 40 years is the result of the involvement of local members of the Society for Growing Australian Plants, through actively promoting, contributing to planning, assisting with development and participating in management. It is fair to say that without the considerable knowledge, experience and expertise of SGAP members through the collection and trial of bioregional species in their own gardens, these numerous botanic gardens would not have been established. Certainly without their involvement, the immense scientific value of the collections, the related research and development and the provision of information would not have been so freely available. The Botanic Gardens of Queensland and the general community owe a debt of great gratitude to these dedicated members who have put into practice the SGAP motto: ‘Cultivation, Conservation, Education’. During his career spanning the last 40 years, Lawrie has been responsible for the planning and design of many of the regional botanic gardens in Queensland, as well as other major projects such as World Expo 88 and Roma Street Parkland. He was instrumental in forming the Network of Regional Botanic Gardens of Queensland, now known as BGANZQ.
Telescopic Tree Pruner • Long reach shaft makes hard to reach garden task accessible from a safe standing position • Shaft length adjustable from 2.4m - 4m, enabling a reach up to 6m • Extremely efficient PowerReel™ mechanism makes cutting 12 times easier compared to standard mechanisms • 32mm cutting capacity
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The general community owes a debt of great gratitude to these dedicated members who have put into practice the SGAP motto: ‘Cultivation, Conservation, Education’
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www.fiskars.com Fiskars Australia | Phone 03 8645 2400 | Email australia@fiskars.com
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The urban agriculture opportunity for local government By Peter Kearney, Cityfood Growers
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unique set of opportunities is emerging for local governments in Australia to support the transition of our food system to be more sustainable. Governments could choose to ignore these opportunities; however, Australians, like people of many developed countries of the world, are waking up to the problems of their food systems and embracing the local food movement. What are the problems of our current food system, when supermarket shelves bulge with food? • a lack of new farmers moving in to take the place of older farmers – the average age of farmers in Australia is around 60 • prime farming land consumed by mining, and vegetable growing land around cities being progressively converted into residential subdivisions • poor financial viability of farms due to a dysfunctional market system and excessive land prices for farms • degraded farming land and overuse of water due to chemical farming • high sensitivity of farm viability to fuel price and supply issues • limited resilience of food supply to natural disasters due to a food chain that may include travel from one end of Australia to the other • populations of major pollinators of fruit and vegetables being severely affected by chemical farming and removal of natural habitats • poor-quality food due to lengthy storage and chemical growing methods • community disconnection to how
food is grown, and increasing ill health in our society due to poor food choices. In addition, major supermarkets are progressively substituting Australian-grown food for low-cost imports, particularly in processed food. A 2012 study carried out by AUSVEG – the Australian industry body for vegetable growers – indicates that one in four Australian vegetable growers is facing financial ruin as they fight a losing battle against cheap processed food imports. This over-reliance on food imports, when Australia could be growing all of its own food, creates a significant risk exposure to global food instability. How far off is the crunch time when supply of healthy food to our cities is severely challenged due to these compounding risks? It is difficult to be exact with the answer, but as we have seen with the 2011 floods in Queensland, unexpected shocks have shown that only two to three days of supply exists in supermarkets without reliance on transport access.
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It would be easy to become fearful of this impending food system crisis and its impact on Australia’s population. The key question arising for local councils is what can they do about this multi-dimensional problem that will have a dramatic affect on the lives of their constituents. How can they be part of the solution? The starting point for any solution is conversation, and these have begun to flow in earnest around Australia as the focus on sustainable living increases. These conversations are stating the problem and offering some solutions. A lot of talk is happening, and perhaps not as much action as could be taking place, but it’s good progress in opening up the issues to the Australian public and governments. The second national sustainable foods summit is a good example of these conversations, as are the virtually daily media stories on the problems of our food system. The gem in some of these conversations, especially with regard to local councils being a part of the solution, is incorporating urban and peri-urban food growing as a vital part of the food supply channel, and at the same time using local food growing as a way of strengthening communities, making them more liveable and improving local environments. In Australia, the interest in urban food growing and local food is building. The following successes indicate that the path forward shows promise: • huge increases in backyard food growing, with corresponding growth in supply of products and services to support this demand • community gardens popping up in most cities around Australia • farmers’ markets experiencing huge demand • food gardens becoming an integral part of schools. Despite these positive changes, I believe that the three key challenges to significantly increasing food volume from urban agriculture are: 1. access to sufficient land in urban and peri-urban locations to increase food production without the financial barrier of having to buy the land for food growing 2. knowledge of intensive organic food growing and urban farm operating methods, so urban farmers can make a good living out of growing food in and around cities, and leverage the many unique opportunities that urban farm models can achieve to be sustainable compared to conventional farming 3. with points 1 and 2 in place, attracting urban farmers
from the ranks of city people wanting a change of lifestyle. In other words, for urban agriculture to go to the next level in terms of food supply, urban farmers must be able to make a good living out of it, and not have to pay for the land. When one looks around urban areas, Australia is certainly blessed with a large amount of land in public and private spaces, and only a tiny proportion of it is used for any active food growing. Are there any examples in Australia? Cityfood growers is involved in a consultancy project with Mirvac on a 2500house residential project in south-east Queensland to integrate urban food growing with organic methods into the fabric of the estate so that it is sustainable economically, environmentally and for the community. It’s still early days, but is very promising. Given these challenges and opportunities, how can local governments contribute to the transition of our food system to being more local and sustainable? Here are some ideas: • making public land available for urban farms (maximum 7000 square metres per farm) and putting this land on long-tenure peppercorn rents • for private land, allowing urban farms to be established on land zoned as residential, rural residential and commercial • fine-tuning building regulations so rooftop and podiumstyle urban farms can be included in building design or retrofits • making public land available for community composting facilities, perhaps connected to urban farms • allowing suitable native and non-native food plants to be grown in public spaces • expanding funding to support more community gardens and food gardening education. Out of these contributions, councils could save money through the care of some of their public spaces, support the growth of employment, build community and strengthen our food system. Surely these are all very worthy outcomes! Author Peter Kearney – www.cityfoodgrowers.com.au Peter Kearney is founder of Cityfood Growers. The business is focused on supporting the growth of urban agriculture. It operates the largest subscription-based organic gardening website in Australia at www.cityfoodgrowers.com.au, provides consultancy services in educational content development for organic food growing, and runs workshops in biodynamic and organic gardening and planning services to individuals and organisations on integrating urban agriculture into their homes and communities.
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streetscapes
Custom furniture for unique green streetscapes
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treet & Garden Furniture Co. has developed Australian-made street furniture for 21 years. In this time, its team of industrial designers has worked on some of Australia’s most iconic streetscapes. These designers regularly work in collaboration with architects and landscape architects to develop products that reflect client goals and site requirements. They place special emphasis on the context of the work, ensuring the furniture relates to the environment and its residence.
While Street & Garden Furniture Co. may be most notable for their traditional cast aluminium and timber designs for the Sydney Olympics, Brisbane and Gold Coast streetscapes, their young design team has more recently seen the company present new processes and exciting new materials. These include precast and glass fibre reinforced concrete, fabricated laser-cut metal and CNC bent tube, as well as advanced moulded and CNC shaped plastics. Each of these and many more are combined to develop site-specific furniture to almost any budget within a matter of weeks. Whilst other street furniture suppliers have moved manufacturing abroad, Street & Garden continue to support industry in Australia by working with local suppliers. These relationships allow for a diversity of manufacturing and help ensure quality control. In the last 12 months, two major projects stand out for their scale and uniqueness, respectively. The Flinders Collection, designed in collaboration with Alexander Lotersztain for the Townsville City Council, was designed to conform to the architectural features and archetypes of the site. Great attention was placed on the number of seating components, its modularity and the way in which different elements create flow and rhythm within the constraints of the sidewalk. Durability and robustness were paramount, with the design being able to withstand both natural forces and vandalism. The collection features an array of seating
Whilst other street furniture suppliers have moved manufacturing abroad, Street & Garden continue to support industry in Australia by working with local suppliers options including illuminated seats, drinking fountains, bollards, tree guards and grates, and smoke stations. The Liana Lounge, designed internally by Street & Garden Furniture Co. for South Bank Corporation, resembles the long-stemmed woody vine from which it gets its name. Like the vine, which is rooted at ground level relying on surrounding structures for support, the lounge binds a sinuous HDPE clad steel structure to a precast concrete host. The green HDPE vine winds its way across the concrete, creating a vast array of resting positions, encouraging exploration and play. The pre-casting includes water shedding details and accommodates LED lighting, transforming the structure by night. The Street and Garden design studio continues to focus on aspects of unique place-making that enhance the project goals of their clients. Architects and landscape architects, in particular, have embraced working with industrial designers who specialise in the field of custom street furniture.
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streetandgarden.com
Celebrating 20 years of street furniture design Street & Garden Furniture Co. was established in 1991, when company director David Shaw applied his strong design principles to street furniture. His vision was to develop products which complement community attitudes and the existing built environment. These products are now celebrated as our Classic range.
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Specialists in urban design and street furniture, our industrial designers work in collaboration with architects, landscape architects and designers to develop products that cohesively link with client project goals. Celebrated in 2011 with a new look.
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Make an iMpression without l e av i n g a d e n t i n y o u r b u d g e t
With its striking design and highly fuel-efficient engines, the new Hyundai i40 Tourer would make an impressive yet economical addition to your fleet. 2.0 Active manual 1.7 CRDi Active manual
130kW of power 100kW of power
213Nm of torque 330Nm of torque
6.8 l/100km * 4.7 l/100km *
159g CO 2 /km 124g CO 2 /km
Visit your Hyundai dealer, go to hyundai.com.au/fleetadvantage, or contact FleetAdvantage@hyundai.com.au
*ADR81/02 fuel consumption will vary depending on a combination of driving habits and the condition of the vehicle.
M AK E AN I M P R E S S I O N
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