Building a Greener Business

BUILDING

LocaL aGeNcyM a r k e t i n g

B o o k l e t 1 2

J u n e 2 0 1 0

a g r e e n e r B U S i n e S S

there are compelling reasons to make your office environmentally friendly, the least of which is the bottom line.

this product is printed with the environment in mind. Please visit www.kwdoggett.com.au and look for these logos to find out more.

89 Hoddle Street richmond ViC 3121

Phone : 1800 032 332 Fax : 03 9419 7360

[email protected]

www.fngateway.com.au

F I R S T N A T I O N A L

D i S t r i B U t i o n L i S t

P r i n C i P a L ( S )

M a r k e t i n g

o t H e r

a D M i n

NaTIoNaL oFFIce

this document is to be used by First national real estate members only.it is not to be recreated for sales or public purposes.

1

CONTENTSINTRODUCTION 2

IT PAYS TO CARE 3

EFFICIENT RESOURCE USE 4

WHAT I CAN DO 5• Lighting,heatingandcooLing• officeequipment• RecycLing• WateR• invoLveStaff• LocaLengagement• impRovepuRchaSing

MEASURE AND REPORT 14

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT 16• BuiLding• eneRgyandWateR• foodexpendituRe• tRaveLtoandfRomWoRk• tRaveLWhiLeatWoRk• conSumaBLeitemS• RecycLing• nextStepS-ecoLogicaLfootpRintcaLcuLatoR

ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING 23

SUMMARY 29

SOURCES 30

B U I L D I N G A G R E E N E R B U S I N E S S

2

I N T R O D U C T I O N

There are some compelling reasons to make your office resource efficient and environmentally friendly – the least of which is the bottom line.

everyday,decisionsaremadethatimpactheavilyonourenvironment.Bymakingbasic

behaviouralchangeswithinyourofficewecanstartbeingpartofthesolution, instead

ofpartoftheproblem.

ouractionsattheoffice,fromwhatwerecycletowhichlightsweturnoffandwhen,

mightseemlikesmallgestures,butwhenwemultiplythatbythenumberofficesinthe

firstnationalnetwork,wehaveaverylargeenvironmentalfootprint.

in this document, we discuss ways you can help make your office more sustainable.

Whetheryourofficeissmallorlarge,therearemanythingsthatyoucandotogreen

yourspaceandmakeadifference.

Bytakingacloserlookatyourofficeprocedures,identifyingpossibleimprovementsand

implementing and communicating changes, you and your co-workers can significantly

reduceyouroffice’simpactontheenvironment.

3

I T P A Y S T O C A R E

First National estate agencies are dependent on the natural environment for paper, energy, water as well as food and pest control. ifwedonotstartoperatinginasustainablefashion,thesethingsthatwetakeforgrantedtodaywillceasetobeavailableorwillbecomemuchmorecostlyinthenearfuture.Soitmakesgoodbusinesssensetoadoptbehavioursthataremoresustainable.

adoptingagreenofficeprogrammewillenableyourofficetosignificantlyreducecostsassociatedwithresourceconsumption,improveprocessefficiencyandimproveyourreputation.

According to a 2001 study, 35 per cent of office energy is expended on lighting, 20 per cent on heating, cooling and ventilation and 20 per cent on office equipment. Improvements in energy efficiency have the potential to reduce the consumption, and costs, of power in your office.

Businessesthatadoptsustainablepracticesinlinewithenvironmentalandsocialissuesderiveenormousmarketingbenefitsfrompositivemediacoverageandimprovedcommunityperceptions.

Betterofficeairprovidesforhealthierandmoreproductivestaff.improvementstoairqualityinyourofficewillsignificantlyreducestaffabsenteeism,commonlyassociatedwith‘sickbuildingsyndrome’andtheabilityofstafftoconcentratewillincreaseasambientcarbondioxidelevelsdecrease.

Beingpartofthesolutionisrewarding,funandcanemphasiseyetanotherpointofdifferencewithinyourestateagency.

FACT

4

The Internet :

A world-wide network

of millions of

computers connected

to facilitates

communication and

sharing of information.

Also known as

The Net and

“information highway”.

The keys to efficient resource use are the three R’s of waste management:

Reduce:Reducewhereverpossible,itisbesttoreducematerials(suchaspaper),energyandwaterconsumption.

Reuse: ifaproductormaterialstillhasvalueinitsexistingform,everyeffortshouldbemadetoreuseit.everyopportunityshouldbeidentifiedtopurchaseonlyreusablematerials,productsandequipment.

Recycle : Recycleallmaterialsthatcannotbereusedintheirexistingform.neverputingeneralwasteanythingthatcanberecycled.

E F F I C I E N T R E S O U R C E U S E

5

W H A T I C A N D O

GENERAL OFFICE BEHAVIOURS:

Beverages :useyourownmug–notenvironmentallyunfriendlytakeawaypolystyrenecups.

Over its life of about 3000 uses, a mug is associated with 30 times less solid waste and 60 times less air pollution than the equivalent drinks in disposable cardboard cups.

Stat ionery :use long-life refillable pencils and pens made from recycled plastic, paper or timber or from fullybiodegradablebioplastic.userecycledoreco-friendliermaterialswherepossible.Reuseelasticbands,paperclips,envelopesandwrappingmaterials.

More than 140 million pens are bought in Australia each year, generating around 700 tonnes of unnecessary plastic waste in landfill annually.

Paper :purchaserecycledpaper–there’snorealdifferencetovirginpaperandrecycledpaperusesupto90percentlesswaterandhalftheenergyrequiredtomakepaperfromvirgintimber.Wherepossible,usebothsidesofthepaperwhenprintingorphotocopying–pre-setprintersandcopierstoprintdouble-sided.encouragestafftoreadelectronicdocumentsratherthanprintingthemoffandhaveapaperrecyclingboxnearby.

Paper makes up 70 per cent of a typical office’s waste. Each Australian worker uses about 10,000 sheets of A4 paper each year – that’s the same as is produced from pulping a full grown tree.

FACT

FACT

FACT

6

The Internet :

A world-wide network

of millions of

computers connected

to facilitates

communication and

sharing of information.

Also known as

The Net and

“information highway”.

Printer Car tr idges :Reuse printer cartridges where the refiller or remanufacturer offers a written guarantee againstequipmentdamageanddowntimecausedbytheirproducts.Whenreplacingaprinterorcopier,buyonewithalong-lastingprintdrumthatrequiresonlytonerrefills.

Reusing a printer cartridge will cut waste and result in cost savings of up to 90 per cent on the cost of a new cartridge. More than 1,500 tonnes of environmentally unfriendly cartridges are dumped in Australian landfill each year.

Dress for the weather :Bydressing appropriately, youcan reduceyour relianceonheating andair conditioning systems forpersonalcomfort.

Only use i t i f you need i t :if you are able tomanually control air conditioning in yourwork area, only use itwhen absolutelynecessary.forexample,inperth,heatingisgenerallyonlyrequiredfirstthinginthemorningoncolddays.ifyounoticeyourofficeisgettingstuffyinwinter,turntheairconditioningoff.

W H A T I C A N D O

FACT

7

W H A T I C A N D O

LIGHTING, HEATING AND COOLING

Use nature’s g i f ts : usedaylightwhereverpossibletoreducetherelianceonturningonlights,orusingthematfullpower,whendimmerswitchesareavailable.maximisenaturalventilationandopenwindows,wherepossible,insteadofusingair-conditioners.

Most air-conditioning systems provide less than 10 per cent fresh air.

Regular ly c lean:cleandirty lampsandfittings toenableyou tomaximiseyour lightingefficiency. cleanglobesandfittingscastmorelightthandirtyones,enablingyoutogetthesameamountoflightfromfewerlamps.Lampsgenerallyrequirecleaningeverysixtotwelvemonths,dependingontheareainwhichtheyareinstalled.

Turn of f the l ights :ifthereareareasinyourworkspacethatareoftenunoccupied(suchasmeetingrooms,kitchensandtoilets),makeitahabittoturnofflightswhentheyarevacant.putstickersonswitchesintheseareastoremindpeople.makesurealllightsinyourworkareaareswitchedoffattheendoftheday.ifpossible,installsensor-movementlightingsotheyautomaticallyturnoffwhenthereisnomovementdetectedafteracertainperiodoftime.

Update and modernise :Replaceold-styleglobes(incandescentlights)inyourworkarea,withcompactfluorescenttubes–theyuselessthanonequarteroftheenergyofaconventionalglobeandlastaround10timeslonger.

FACT

8

W H A T I C A N D O

OFFICE EqUIPMENT

Switch equipment of f :itisessentialofficeequipmentisturnedoffwhenitisnotinuse.Switchoffyourcomputermonitorifyouaregoingtobeawayfromyourdeskformorethan20minutes.monitorsusemostofthepowersomakesureyouswitchoffthecomputerbeforeyougohome.appointastaffmembertoberesponsibleforturningoffallsharedequipmentattheendofeachday.

One computer left on in full power mode 24/7 for one year can result in more than 700 kg of CO2 being released into the atmosphere – that’s more than 1kg for every 12 operating hours. Sleep mode can reduce a computer’s electricity consumption by up to 5 per cent of full power and switching it off will reduce its electricity use to less than 250 kw per year, compared to 1,000 kw a year when left on.

Use stand-by or s leep modes :mostmodernequipmentisfittedwithastand-bymodethatcanbepre-settoatimethatsuitstheneedsoftheworkersinyouroffice.atypicalprinterinstand-bymodewillconsumeonly10percentoftheenergyofoneleftonallthetime.activatethesleepmodewhenyourcomputerwon’tbeinuseforsometime.

Purchase ‘green’ of f ice equipment :purchasingenergyefficientofficeequipmentgenerallydoesn’tcostextraandwillprovidesignificantsavingsforthebusinessoverthelifeofthemachine.thefollowingaspectsshouldbeconsideredwhenpurchasinganynewequipmentfortheoffice:

• allnewequipmentshouldfeatureenergyStar1powersavingoptions

• energyStar1featuresshouldbeenabledontheequipmentbythesupplierpriorto,oratthepointofdelivery

• allequipmentratedundertheapplianceStar2labellingschemeshouldberated3starsorbetter.

Office machines are one of the major creators of heat in the office. Energy efficient office machines can reduce emissions from air-conditioning by as much as 30 per cent by reducing the need for cooling.

FACT

FACT

9

9

W H A T I C A N D O

RECYCLING

Genera l Recyc l ing :togetherwithsignificantamountsofwastepaper,awholerangeofothermaterialsandequipmentcanberecycled,including:

• cardboard

• glassbottlesandjars

• plasticcontainers

• aluminiumandsteelcans

• milkandjuicecartons

• oldfurniture

Where possible, segregate wastes - this will aid recycling and provide an indication of why wasteisforming.

10

W H A T I C A N D O

WATER

Remember a golden rule of water use: Don’t spend money like water, spend water like money.

Fix Leaks :ifyounoticealeakingtoilet,pipeortap,pleasereportitimmediatelyasthishasthepotentialtosavemanythousandsoflitresofwater,andassociatedcosts,eachyear.

A single leaking toilet in your office will add an average 34,000 litres per annum to water consumption, even if the toilet is never flushed. A leaking sink tap will add an average 13,500 litres per annum or $100 a year.

Replace inef f ic ient appl iances :ifyouuseadishwasherinyourofficekitchen,pleaseuseitonlywhenithasbeenfullystacked,anduseontheshortestcycleavailable.Whenpurchasinganewdishwasher,whynotlookintobuyingonethatfiltersandrecirculateswater.you’lluseroughlyone-thirdthewater,halfthedetergent,andone-thirdtheelectricityofconventionalmodels.

Replace inef f ic ient f ixtures :Waterefficientfixturesservetodecreaseyourwaterandenergyconsumption,takinglesswaterandlessheatingenergytodothesamejob.examplesofwaterefficientfixturesthatmightworkinyourofficeinclude:

• Singlelevermixertaps–minimisewastagebypre-selectingthehot-coldratio,therebyreducingthetimeneededtorunwaterwhileyoucorrectthetemperature.

• flowrestrictors–attachedtomixertapsandshowerheads,thesefixturesreducewaterflowfrom15-20litresperminuteto6litresperminute.

• dualflushandultralowflowtoiletcisternsandwaterlessurinals–whenreplacingoldtoiletsandurinalsensurenewfixturesareinstalledtomaximisewaterefficiency.

Introduce new pol ic ies :haveyourcleanersusedrymethods,suchasbrooms,vacuumcleanersorcompressedairjets,whencleaning,ratherthanwettechniquessuchasmops.

FACT

11

11

W H A T I C A N D O

INVOLVE STAFF

manyorganisations thathaveadoptedmore sustainablebusinesspractices,have found that it is thecreativityandenthusiasmofstaffthatcanbringlifetolocal initiatives.herearesometipsforgettingstaffinvolved:

• Setupasuggestionbox

• acknowledgethosewhocontribute

• adoptamorecomprehensivestrategylikequalitycircles–teamsofworkerswhogettogethertodiscusswaystoimproveprocesses

LOCAL ENGAGEMENT

Support local groups engaged in practical environmental efforts like planting trees, rehabilitatingpublic open spaces, running opportunity shops, recycling rubbish and promoting renewable energy.firstnationalsupportstheeffortsofgreeningaustralia.Shouldyouwishtomakeadonation,askyourmemberServicesmanagerforadonationform.

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W H A T I C A N D O

IMPROVE PURCHASING

Byimprovingyourpurchasing,yourresourceuseandwasteoutputwillbereduced.Buyingrecycledmaterialscanreducetheamountofwastesenttolandfill.

green purchasing includes the acquisition of recycled content products, environmentally preferableproductsandservices,bio-basedproducts,energy-andwater-efficientproducts,alternatefuelvehicles,productsusingrenewableenergy,andalternativestohazardousortoxicchemicals.

13

W H A T I C A N D O

Tips to improve purchas ing inc lude:

• purchaserecycledmaterialswherepossible,ifyoudonot‘buyrecycled’,youarenotrecycling.

• givepreferencetoproductsthataredesignedfor long life,arereusableorrecyclable,andaremadeandpackagedwithminimalmaterials.

• avoid buying new products or services, which will increase the environmental impact ofyourbusiness.

The fo l lowing provides a checkl i s t to cons ider when purchas ing your of f ice mater ia ls and products :

• isitessentialtobuytheproduct?canitbeleasedorrented?

• istheproductmadeusingmainlyrecycledorraw(notprocessed)materials?

• doesproductionorextractionoftheproductcauseenvironmentaldamage,suchaslossofhabitatsorpollution?

• aretherealternativesavailabletotheproductyouintendtopurchasethatwilldothesamejobbutcreatelessdamage?

• isthepackagingmadefromrecycledmaterials?

• istheitemeasilyupgraded?

• cantheproductbere-used,refilled,rechargedorreconditionedtoextenditslife?

• cantheproductberecycledthroughalocalrecyclingprogramme?

• iftheproductdrawsonpowersupplies,isitthemostenergyefficientoption?

• istheproductoritscomponentstoxicorotherwisehazardous?doesitcomewithanmSdS(materialSafetydataSheet)?arethereanylesstoxicalternativesavailable?

• istheproductaccreditedwitharecognisedenvironmentalstandard?

• doesthesupplierhaveanenvironmentalmanagementsystemtomaximisethesustainabilityoftheirproduct/s?

• istheproductmanufacturedand/orsuppliedlocally?

• canproductpackagingbereducedoreliminated?

14

M E A S U R E A N D R E P O R T

Reporting on your environmental performance is a crucial part of creating a sustainable business culture. the real value of publicly reporting your environmental performance comes from the discipline ofdevelopingappropriatebenchmarksformeasurementandimprovement.

Bymeasuring the rate atwhich resources are consumed andwaste produced, youwill be able tomanageimprovementinyourbusiness,particularlyincreasingefficiencyandreducingwasteaswellasprovingit.

When measuring, ensure you measure and track your usage rates for energy, water and paper/promotionalmaterial.datasheetsshouldbemaintainedandeasilyaccessibletoaccuratelyandeffectivelyrecordenergyandresourcesusedandwastesproduced.itisimportanttobeconsistentwhentakingandrecordingmeasurementssothatregularreportsformajorresourceconsumablesincludingwater,paperandenergycanbemade.consumptionshouldalwaysbereportedonaperunitproductionbasis,ratherthanbytime.

15

M E A S U R E A N D R E P O R T

The fo l lowing d iagram i l lustrates the three phase/e ight-step process to do th is :

1. Work out why you want to have a public environmental report (PER).

2. Identify key stakeholders eg staff, community.

3. Identify what you want to measure.

4. Develop environmental indicators (EPI).

5. Set agreed objectives and targets.

6. Measure and evaluate.

REPORT AND REVIEW7. Strengthen communicability.

8. Publish (website), distribute, use and review.

PLAN

meaSuRe

16

E C O L O G I C A L F O O T P R I N T

An ecological footprint sounds complicated but really just looks at what we consume and converts this to the amount of land needed to supply the resources and assimilate the waste generated.

the following checklist provides an indication of the type of information required in

determiningyourecologicalfootprint.thequestionsaskedrequireinformationaboutthe

typesandamountsofproductsandresourcesusedinyouroffice,enablingyoutoconsider

howmanyglobalhectaresarerequiredtosupporttheactivitiesofyourworkplace.

17


OFFICE CHECKLIST – ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

A. Bui ld ing

thefollowingquestionsareaboutthefloorspaceofyourofficeaswellasbuildingconstructionandmaintenance.ifleasingyouroffice,theleasingagreementwillcontainsomeoftheinformationrequired.

1.Whatisthefloorareaoccupiedbyyouroffice?includealllevelsandfloorspace.

Squaremetres

2.howmanylevelsorstoreysisthebuildingintotal?theecologicalfootprintwillbeapportionedbasedonthenumberoflevelsoccupiedbyyourofficechoice.

numberoflevels

3.

doyouhaveinformationaboutanygreendesignfeaturesofthebuilding?toansweryestothisquestionyouneedtolistpercentagesforthefollowing:Recycledaggregateinconcreteaveragepercentagesofextendersinconcrete(flyashorslags)useofsecondhandbuildingmaterialsuseofrecycledbuildingmaterials

yeS/no

4.Whatisthegroundareaofthebaseofthebuilding?includetotalbuiltareaofthebuilding,notjustyourarea.excludeoutsideareas–gardens,driveways,etc.

Squaremetres

5. Whatareaoutsidethebuildingisassociatedwithgardens/driveways/carparking? Squaremetres

6.

Whatistheexpectedlifeofthebuilding?informationaboutthebuilding’sconstructionmayincludelifeexpectancydata.ifyoudon’tknow,estimate80years(theaveragelifeexpectancyofabuildinginaustralia)

year(s)

7. howmanyemployeesworkinyouroffice? fulltimeequivalentstaff

B. Energy and Water

yourelectricity,gasandwaterbillswillprovideinformationinkWh,mJandLitres–unitsrequiredtocompletethequestionnaire.youwillneedtoestimateconsumptionpermonthforeachutilityitem.

8. howmuchelectricitydoesyourofficeusepermonth? kwh/month

9.doesyourofficepurchaseenergysuppliedfromrenewablesourcessuchaswindorsolar,thatisgreenpower?enterthepercentageasaproportionofyourtotalenergysupply.

%oftotalenergysupply

10. howmuchnaturalgasdoesyourofficeusepermonth? mJ/month

11. howmuchwaterdoesyourofficeusepermonth? Litres/month

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C. Food Expenditure

checkwithyouraccountsdepartmentorpurchasingofficeriftherearefinancialcodesunderwhichthesepurchasesarerecorded-theymaybesearchableinyouroffice’sfinancialmanagementsystem.

12. pleaseestimateexpenditureonthefollowing: $/month

a.howmuchdoesyourofficespendoncateringandbusinesslunchespermonth?thisincludesorderinginfoodformeetingsandgoingoutforcompanylunches,forexample.

b. howmuchdoesyourofficespendonbeer,wineandspiritspermonth?

c. howmuchdoesyourofficespendonmilkpermonth?

d. howmuchdoesyourofficespendontea,coffee,sugarandbiscuitspermonth?

D. Travel To and From Work

thissectionaskshowpeopletraveltoandfromtheoffice.enterthenumberofreturntripspermonthforallemployeesusingthedifferentmodesoftransporteg30peoplex20returntripspermonth=600returntrips.pleaseexcludetraveltoandfromworkbycompanycarasthiswillbecoveredlater.

one way to obtain this information is by regular ‘travelSmart’ surveys (www.travelsmart.gov.au/employers/survey01.html). this joint government initiative supports smart choices about differenttransportoptionstoreducegreenhousegasemissions.alternatively,youcouldconductanofficesurvey.

numberofreturntripspermonth

13a. howmanystafftravelbycar(nopassengers)?

b. howmanystafftravelbycar(withpassengers)?

c. howmanystafftravelbybus?

d.howmanystafftravelbyrail?(tram/lightrail/train)

e. howmanystafftravelbymotorcycle?

f. howmanystafftravelbyscooter?

g. howmanystafftravelbybicycle/walking?

19


E. Travel Whi le At Work

howdoemployeesgettoandfrominspectionsandmeetingsforexample?enterthenumberofreturntripsforthefollowingmodesoftransportpermonth.youmightcollectthisinformationviaasurveyduringaparticularmonthortrackusagethroughpurchasingrecordsofpublictransporttickets.youwillnoticethatpersonaluseofcarsisnotincludedhere.

14.atwork,howmanyreturntripsaremadeusingthefollowingmodesoftransport?

numberofreturntripseachmonth

a. publictransport

b. taxi

15a.

doesyourofficeownorleasecompanyvehicles(carormotorcycle/scooter?).includeinformationforfullymaintainedvehiclesi.e.vehiclesinacarpoolandvehiclesprovidedaspartofasalarypackage.ifyeS,pleasecompletepartsb.,c.andd.

yeS/no

b.

Whichofthefollowinginformationdoyouhave(selectoneoption)(i) howmuchyourofficespendsonfueloR(ii) howfarpeopleinyourofficetravelbycarormotorcycle/scooter

$spentonfueloRkmstravelled

c.

enteramountspentonfuelpermonthoRkilometrestravelledpermonthdependingonselectionforb.(enterdetailsforonlyoneoption)totalamountonfuelfortheoffice

totalkilometrestravelledfortheoffice

$/month

km/month

d.

completethetablebelow.percentageof‘officeuse’referstothevehicle’sproportionofuseincomparisontotheothervehiclesinthefleet.Whenaddingthepercentageusetogetheryoushouldhaveatotalof100percent.forexample:4smallcarsmaybeusedfor90percentofthetraveland2largecarsfor10percent.

fulltimeequivalentstaff

20


Vehic le Types

Hybrid (electric/1.2 - 1.8litres): ahybridvehiclecombineselectricpowerwithfuel(gasolineorpetrol)technologytoachievegreaterefficiency,allowingyoutotravelfurtherwithlessfuelinput.

Small (1.0 - 2.0 litres):upto4-cylinder(egsmallhatchback)

Medium (2.1 - 3.5 litres): 4to6-cylinder(egsmalltomediumsedan)

Large (3.6 - 7 litres):greaterthan6-cylinder(eg4-wheeldrive,v8orpeoplemover)

Motor cycle

Scooter

vehicletype(seelistabove)

numberofvehicles

%oftotalofficeuse

fueltypeused fuelpriceperlitre%oftravelwith

morethandriveronly

16.

howmanykilometresdostaffinyourofficetravelbyairplaneforbusinesspurposeseachmonth?tryaskingyourofficetravelagent.alternatively,allocate750kmforeachhourofdomesticairtraveland1000kmforeachhourofinternationalairtravel.

km/year

a. internationalflights

b. domesticflights

21


F. Consumable I tems

checkwithyouraccountsdepartmentorpurchasingofficeriftherearefinancialcodesunderwhichthesepurchasesarerecorded-theymaybesearchableinyouroffice’sfinancialmanagementsystem.

17a.howmuchpapermanufacturedinaustraliadoesyourofficepurchasepermonth?

kg/month

b.howmuchimportedpaperdoesyourofficepurchasepermonth?checkifpaperissourcedfromoverseasbyconsultingyouroffice’spurchasingofficerorspecificationsonthepackaginglabel.

kg/month

c.

Whatistheaveragerecycledcontentacrossallofficepaperpurchasedpermonth?consultyouroffice’spurchasingofficerorspecificationsonthepackaginglabel.provideanaveragepercentageacrossallpaperpurchased(australianandimported).forexample:50percentofpaperpurchasedmayhavearecycledcontentof80percentand50percentmayhavenorecycledcontentthereforetheaverageis40percentrecycledcontent.

%

18a.

howmuchdoesyourofficespendonprintedmaterialsandpublicationsproducedonbehalfofyourorganisationpermonth?thisincludesprintedproductsthatareproducedforyourofficeexternally,forexampleanannualreportsentoutforpublishing.itcouldalsoincludeletterboxdropcards,newsletters,propertymagazinesetc.

$/month

b.Whatpercentageoftheprintedmaterialsandpublicationsismadefromrecycledcontent?estimateanaveragepercentage.

%

19.howmuchdoesyourofficespendonsubscriptionstopublicationspermonth?thisincludesitemssuchasmagazines,newspapersandjournals.

$/month

20.

howmuchdoesyourofficespendoncomputersandprinterequipmentpermonth?thisincludesphotocopiers,facsimilemachines,printers,computerterminals,screensandotherhardware,butnotsoftware.

$/month

21.howmuchdoesyourofficespendonotherstationery?thisincludesitemssuchaspens,staplers,post-itsandfolders.

$/month

22


G. Recyc l ing

thesequestionsaskfor informationabouthowmuchwaste isgeneratedbyyouroffice inordertomeasurehowmuchlandisrequiredtoassimilatethiswaste.

22a. Whatpercentageofofficepaperusedinyourofficeisrecycled? %

b. Whatpercentageofcansandbottlesisrecycled? %

c. Whatpercentageofitequipmentisrecycledorreused? %

d.Whatpercentageoftonercartridgesisrecycledorreused?includealltonercartridgesthatarerecycledforexamplethoseusedforfaxmachines,printersandphotocopiers.

%

H. Next Steps – Ecolog ica l Footpr int Calcu lator

nowyouhaveallthenecessaryinformationtocompletetheecologicalfootprintcalculationforyouroffice.therearemanysiteswhichhaveoneofthese,forexample:http://www.thegreenoffice.com/go-green_take-action_carbon-offsetting-sochoosetheonethatbestsuitsyou.

onceyouhaveusedthecalculatortoobtainyourresultsrecordthemhere:

globalhectares

Soccerfields

ghaperemployee

thesefigurescanthenbeusedtocompareperformancefromquartertoquarter.

23

E N V I R O N M E N T A L R E P O R T I N G

the following is anexampleofwhat shouldbe includedwhenpreparinganenvironmentalReport,basedonacceptedfinancialreportingguidelines.

yearindicator1

mJindicator2

tonnesindicator3

%indicator4

mJindicator5

mJindicator6

$

Lastyear

currentyear

indicators:

1. totalenergyusageinmegajoules

2. greenhousegasemissionsassociatedwithenergyuseintonnesofco2

3. percentageofgreenpowerpurchasedexpressedasapercentage

4. unitsofenergyperfte(fulltimeequivalent)inmegajoules

5. unitsofenergyperunitofofficespaceinmegajoulespersquaremetre

6. annualcostofgreenpowerpurchasedindollarterms

actionsundertaken:Reportanychangesoractionsundertakenfromthepreviousyeareg.participationingreen/energyprogrammessuchasearthhour,installationofanyenergysavingequipment(suchassensorlights,etc).

24


Procurement

Reportanychangestopurchasingand/ortradingpoliciesbyyourorganisation.

Paper

year indicator1(reams) indicator2(reams) indicator3(%)

Lastyear

currentyear

indicators:

1. totalunitsofa4equivalentcopypaperusedinreams

2. unitsofa4equivalentcopypaperusedperfteinreams

3. percentageofrecycledcontentcopypaperpurchased

actionsundertaken:Reportanychangesoractionsundertakenfromthepreviousyeareg.ongoingreportingtostaffofpaperusage,switchingallprintersandcopierstodoubledsided,changeinpolicytouseinternalemailswhenpossible.

25


Greenhouse Emiss ions

yearindicator1

tonnesindicator2

tonnesindicator3

tonnesindicator4

tonnesindicator5

tonnesindicator6

tonnes

Lastyear

currentyear

indicators:

1. totalgreenhousegasemissionsassociatedwithenergyuseintonnesofco2

2. totalgreenhousegasemissionsassociatedwithvehiclefleetintonnesofco2

3. totalgreenhousegasemissionsassociatedwithairtravelintonnesofco2

4. totalgreenhousegasemissionsassociatedwithwastedisposalintonnesofco2

5. greenhousegasemissionsoffsetspurchasedintonnesofco2

6. anyothergreenhousegasemissionsassociatedwithentityactivitiesintonnesofco2

26


Transpor tat ion

yearindicator1

gJindicator2

kmindicator3

tonnesindicator4

kmindicator5

%indicator6

kmindicator7

gJ

Lastyear

currentyear

indicators:

1. totalenergyconsumptionbyoperationalvehiclesingigajoules

2. totaltravelassociatedwithentityoperationsinkilometres

3. greenhousegasemissionsassociatedwithoperationalvehicleintonnesofco2

4. totaldistancetravelledbyaeroplaneinkilometres

5. employeesregularly(morethan75percentoftime)usingpublictransport,cyclingandwalkingtoandfromworkinpercent

6. travelassociatedwithdepartmentaloperationsperfteinkilometres

7. fuelconsumptionperfteingigajoules

actionsundertaken:Reportanychangesoractionstakenfromthepreviousyearegchangetousingmorefuelefficientcars,participationinRidetoWorkday,etc.

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Waste Product ion

the following is anexampleofwhat shouldbe includedwhenpreparinganenvironmentalReport,basedonacceptedfinancialreportingguidelines.

yearindicator1

kgsindicator2

kgs/fteindicator3

%indicator4

tonnesindicator5

kgs

Lastyear

currentyear

indicators:

1. totalunitsofwastedisposedofinkilograms

2. unitsofofficewastedisposedofperfteinkilograms

3. Recyclingrateasapercentage

4. greenhousegasemissionsassociatedwithwastedisposalintonnesofco2

5. totalunitsofwasterecycledinkilograms

actionsundertaken:Reportanychangesoractionstakenfromthepreviousyearegcreatingnotepadsfromoldletterheadorusedpaper,biodegradablerubbishbagsusedinallrubbishbins,etc.

28


Water Consumpt ion

yearindicator1

klsindicator2

kls/fteindicator3

kls/m2

Lastyear

currentyear

Reportonwaterconsumptionbasedonthreekeyindicators:

indicator1 totalunitsofmeteredwaterconsumedbywatersourceinkilolitres

indicator2 unitsofmeteredwaterconsumedinofficesperfteinkilolitres/fte

indicator3 unitsofmeteredwaterconsumedinofficesperunitofofficeareainkilolitresper squaremetre

actionsundertaken:Reportonanychangesoractionsundertakenfromthepreviousyearegturningoffwaterfountainsatnight,installationofsmartmetersand/orautomatictaps,etc.

29

S U M M A R Y

Beinggreenisn’teasy-butthenchangingourbehavioursandattitudesisn’teasyeither.

Byworkingtogetherandsupportingeachotheraswestrive foronesustainablegoal,

wewillachievewhatwesetouttodo-beasgreenaswecanbeandsetthestandard

forotherstofollow.

atthemostbasiclevel,therearesimpleactswecanchangeinoureverydaybehaviours

thatwillstarttheballrolling.Butultimately,ithastocomeatalllevelsofourprofessional

lives-fromtheindividual,tothegroup,totheoverallcorporation.

an importantelement indrivingbusiness change is toensure the rightmessagesare

beingcommunicatedsothateveryonehasthesameunderstandingofwhatwearetrying

todoandhowwearegoingaboutit.

We also need to make sure that once we have everyone’s buy in, and we are all

workingfromthesamepage,wearetrackingandmonitoringourprogressbythesame

measures.puttinginplaceagreenScorecardmeansweareallmeasuringthesame

things,bythesamemeasurementtools.

Reportingonthesemeasurementsiswherethedifferencecanbemade.itquantifiesas

wellasjustifiestheclaimswemakeandoftenactsasamotivatorandincentive-spurring

onevengreateractionsandideas.

inthisdocumentwehaveprovidedthenecessarytools forfirstnational tobecome

theindustryleaderinbeinggreen-forthebenefitsofourcustomers,ourbusiness,but

mostofall-ourselves.

30

S O U R C E S

• truegreen@Work,kimmckayandJennyBonnin

• Stategovernmentofvictoria,environmentalReportingRequirements

• epavictoria(www.epa.vic.gov.au)

• greenBuildingcouncilaustralia(www.gbca.com.au)

• uWafacilitiesmanagement,greenofficeguide

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N O T E S

89 Hoddle Street richmond ViC 3121

Phone : 1800 032 332 Fax : 03 9419 7360

[email protected]

www.fngateway.com.au

F I R S T N A T I O N A L

D i S t r i B U t i o n L i S t

P r i n C i P a L ( S )

M a r k e t i n g

o t H e r

a D M i n

NaTIoNaL oFFIce

this document is to be used by First national real estate members only.it is not to be recreated for sales or public purposes.

BUILDING

LocaL aGeNcyM a r k e t i n g

B o o k l e t 1 2

J u n e 2 0 1 0

a g r e e n e r B U S i n e S S

there are compelling reasons to make your office environmentally friendly, the least of which is the bottom line.

this product is printed with the environment in mind. Please visit www.kwdoggett.com.au and look for these logos to find out more.

Documents

Building a Greener Business