Energetics and EPA win Victorian green office awards

Energetics and EPA Victoria have been named recipients of the inaugural Victorian CitySwitch Green Office Awards for their achievements in reducing office energy use.

The winners were announced this morning at the CitySwitch Green Office Awards breakfast at Mercure Melbourne Spring Street. The CitySwitch Green Office program is a partnership between the cities of Melbourne, Port Phillip, Yarra and Sustainability Victoria.

“Today’s awards recognise the great work being done by commercial office tenants to reduce energy use, save money on energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Sustainability Victoria CEO Anita Roper said.

“The CitySwitch Green Office program works with the leaders in commercial office tenancy who know that sustainability makes good business sense. These organisations are taking smart steps to minimise their energy use by improving or upgrading equipment and fostering a culture of behaviour change in the workplace,” Roper said.

CitySwitch Signatory of the Year (under 2000 m²) winner Energetics made a number of changes to their office, including installing motion-sensor lighting and computer energy monitoring. The company also purchased 100% GreenPower and hold a 5 Star NABERS rating. Signatory of the Year (over 2000m²) winner EPA Victoria recently moved their head office to one of Melbourne’s most sustainable commercial buildings at 200 Victoria Street Carlton The building, a former CUB laboratory, is one of the first commercial retrofit buildings in Australia to have achieved a 6 Star Green Star rating in office design. Features include the use of energy-efficient appliances, timers on hot water units and motion-sensor lighting.

“If every Australian office tenant adopted similar changes to those of the EPA and Energetics there is the potential to save around 1 million tonnes of greenhouse gas per annum - the equivalent of taking 200,000 cars off the road,” Roper said.

CitySwitch signatories in Victoria now represent over 194,000 square metres of office space across 76 tenancies - the equivalent of 743 tennis courts.

For more information on CitySwitch see www.cityswitch.net.au.