Media Release
15 October, 2009
BUILDING A GREAT FIT FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Melbourne City Council‘s Finance and Governance Committee has committed to investing more than $2.5
million in retrofitting 13 council buildings that will see reductions in carbon emissions and deliver significant
water and energy savings for Council.
Under an agreement between
Council and energy
services company Honeywell Building Solutions, the
Energy Performance Contract
is expected to generate annual energy savings of around $190,000,
greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions of 1560 tonnes (equivalent to the emissions of 348 cars) and savings in
water consumption of 11,791 kilolitres (equal to the water used to fill 52 Olympic swimming pools).
Chair of the Eco-City Committee,
Cr Cathy Oke said the contract arrangement, with Honeywell Building
Solutions, guaranteed sustainability savings would be made.
“Honeywell has provided guarantees that emissions and water savings will be made. The savings made to
our energy and water bills will be redirected back to our cash reserves, which is where the financial support
for this project has come,” Cr Oke said.
Buildings selected for retrofitting under the Energy Performance Contract are:
Melbourne Town Hall;
Commonwealth Bank Building;
North Melbourne Town Library;
City Library;
City Square Carpark;
Elgin Street Carpark;
Melbourne City Baths ;
Kensington Community Recreation Centre;
Carlton Baths Community Centre;
North Melbourne Baths;
North Melbourne Town Hall;
Queen Victoria Market; and
Campbell Arcade.
“The project outlines an ambitious timeline of 18 months and it is expected that savings made under the
program will repay the investment made by Council within 15 years. The total cost of the program will be
$2,691,447,” Cr Oke said.
There are a range of proposals for the individual Council buildings including lighting retrofits, low flow
plumbing fixtures, improvement in gas, water and electricity metering through specialised computer
systems and water harvesting.
“The project is consistent with Council’s emerging 1200 Buildings program – and both demonstrate our
leadership in sustainability, delivering long-term benefits for our city,” Cr Oke said.
The 1200 Buildings program aims
to work in partnership with businesses to retrofit 1200 existing
commercial buildings by 2020.
“Retrofitting existing buildings makes sound financial sense -
retrofitting reduces energy bills to building
owners and tenants and enhances their reputation as green champions of the city. Council is promoting
this approach to reducing carbon footprints to the city's commercial sector through our 1200 building
project," Cr Oke said.
The proposal will go to full Council on 27 October.
-
ENDS –
For further media information please contact:
Phil Buckley, Media Adviser, City of Melbourne
Ph: (03) 9658 8426 / 0409 425 873
Email: philbuc@melbourne.vic.gov.au
NEWS 
