Total Facilities 2015: Managing sustainability in our facilities

Australia is at the forefront of green building and sustainable building practices with a range of programs and incentives in place to ensure greater energy efficiency within the country’s built environment. This is particularly the case in relation to new buildings where state and territory government regulations require new buildings to achieve minimum energy star ratings.

Melbourne’s Pixel building is a good example of Australia’s innovation in sustainability. In 2012, Pixel was awarded the world’s highest ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’ rating from the US Green Building Council. The building is carbon neutral, with a rooftop garden and state-of-the-art green technologies such as vacuum toilets and an anaerobic digester.

But how do we retrofit these high standards on the country’s old buildings or facilities? The responsibility largely rests on facility managers and their knowledge of sustainable practices. Facility managers have the ability to significantly influence sustainability outcomes in a wide range of activities such as waste management, environmental management, purchasing, and building and grounds maintenance.

Next March, facility management professionals are invited to attend Total Facilities in Sydney, which presents a prime opportunity to enhance their knowledge of sustainable technologies and developments in the industry. In particular, the trade show will feature a ‘High Performance Buildings Pavilion’, showcasing new and bright solutions for optimising efficiency in the areas of energy, waste and water.

Diversified Communications Exhibition Director Brett Judd said Total Facilities offers education and professional development opportunities for facility managers concerned with sustainable practices. He noted, “The High Performance Buildings Pavilion will grant visitors access to targeted education sessions as well as a preview of products, tools and technologies that create a more sustainable, renewable and carbon-efficient building.”

Leading the way in energy-efficient technologies for the built environment, Maser Communications is just one of hundreds of exhibitors at Total Facilities 2015. Maser - a provider of technology solutions and services for telecommunications, defence, security and industrial applications - will be displaying its Intelligent LED high-bay lighting, by Digital Lumens USA, which enables facilities to cut lighting costs by 90%.

Maser will also showcase its voltage optimisation products, an electrical energy-saving technique in which a device is installed to provide an optimum supply voltage for a building to eliminate excessive energy consumption. Maser General Manager Matt Young believes that by implementing energy-efficient improvements, facilities not only meet their energy-efficiency targets but also enhance their operations.

Total Facilities will open at Sydney Exhibition Centre, Glebe Island from 25-26 March 2015. To register for free entry and to find out more, visit www.totalfacilities.com.au.