Sydney Leads The Way With Cityswitch Energy Efficiency

Sydney Leads the Way With CitySwitch Energy Efficiency

Media Release

17 November 2009

City of Sydney is leading by example, saving an estimated 745 tonnes of CO2 emissions and over $70,000 in energy costs each year as part of the CitySwitch Green Office program.

The savings are equivalent to taking 165 cars off the road and have been made by simple changes to the City's tenancy at Town Hall House including installation of motion controls, occupancy and day-lighting sensors, use of energy efficient appliances and equipment and retrofitting light fittings with high efficiency T5 lamps.

CitySwitch Green Office commits businesses to tangible changes that deliver long-term environmental benefits.

"Now representing over 801,000 sqm of office space across the Sydney region alone, CitySwitch is a significant step towards tackling the biggest challenge of our time climate change," City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said.

"If all of Australia's commercial office tenants were to adopt the simple changes involved in this program, a saving of 960,000 tonnes of CO2 could be made each year, which is the equivalent of taking 200,000 cars off the road."

The City is one of 75 New South Wales Signatories to CitySwitch Green Office, which has achieved significant carbon emissions savings over the past twelve months as part of the program's ongoing commitment to increasing office energy efficiency.

Other key achievements include:

* Colliers International behavioural changes including switching off electronic equipment when not in use have led to a 30 per cent annual energy saving.
* DTZ emissions have been reduced by approximately 375,000kg CO2 over an 8 year lease term, the equivalent of taking 83,000 cars off the road.
* GlasgowHart behavioural changes such as defaulting to double-sided printing has led to a reduction in daily energy consumption from 15kW to 12kW.

The program's Signatory achievements for 2008/09 will be announced at the CitySwitch Progress Report Executive Briefing at Customs House tomorrow, Wednesday 18 November 2009.

CitySwitch began as the 3CBDs Greenhouse Initiative in 2005, a joint project of the City of Sydney, North Sydney and Parramatta City Councils, and the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water.

Media are welcome at the CitySwitch Progress Report Executive Briefing.

Date: Wednesday 18 November 2009

Time: 2.30pm for 3.00pm

Where: Barnet Long Room, Customs House, 31 Alfred Street Circular Quay

Speakers: City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP
North Sydney Council Mayor Genia McCaffrey
Parramatta City Council Lord Mayor Paul Garrard
Willoughby City Council General Manager Nick Tobin

For more on CitySwitch Green Office, visit: www.cityswitch.net.au

Media Contact: Keeley Irvin (02) 9265 9106 or [email protected]


SOURCE: City of Sydney