Investa Property Group captured three top prizes at the NSW Government’s 2011 Green Globe Awards and other winners included GPT with an award for business sustainability and lighting pioneer enLighten Australia Pty Ltd with two awards including one for energy.
Investa’s hat trick included the Premier’s Award for Sustainability Excellence, the Built Environment Sustainability Award and the Climate Change Leadership Award.
enLighten won the Energy Award for its collective contribution in commercial energy savings and the environmental innovation award for its multi-function LED light; the “Chamaeleon,”’ which is claimed to be capable of delivering 93 per cent energy savings.
NSW Premier, Barry O’Farrell said Investa had delivered on initiatives in the past decade by thinking outside the square and looking to the future, which made both good environmental and business sense.
Investa’s general manager, sustainability, safety and environment, Craig Roussac said: “At Investa we’ve achieved commercial success by treating environmental and business priorities as one and the same.”
Investa is already the recipient of five awards this year: it was judged the Property Council of Australia’s NSW development of the year and Australia’s best new sustainable development of the year for Coca-Cola Place, previously The Ark, at 40 Mount Street, North Sydney.
CEO of enLighten, David Whitfield said: “To win both of these awards is a huge honour and perhaps also tacit acknowledgement that home grown technology has a place in a sustainable Australian future.”
Mr Whitfield said it was estimated that lighting accounts for more than 20 per cent of costs in commercial and retail markets.
enLighten’s products had the ability to reduce this consumption by over two thirds thus saving money on growing energy bills and reducing the impact on the environment.
Business Sustainability Award winner GPT in 2010 saved over $13 million in resource costs through their sustainability initiatives despite growing their portfolio.
The majority of the GPT group’s office portfolio has a NABERS energy average of more than 5 stars – the highest of all ASX-listed Office Trusts. GPT has received international recognition for the second year running in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
Willoughby Council won the Local Government Sustainability Award. The council will achieve its target for a 50 per cent reduction in energy use and will provide 2.1 per cent of its energy through solar power.
In a first for an Australian local government, the council installed a 165kW co-generation system at the Willoughby leisure centre which will save 600 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and around $40,000 a year in energy bills.
Potable water use has been reduced by installing rainwater tanks capable of capturing over 20,000 litres of water at their community sites.
An integrated water management system at council’s new performing arts, library and retail facility The Concourse is saving 80 per cent on typical water consumption for a building of this type, the equivalent of 33 Olympic swimming pools of drinking water each year.
Sustainability champion award winner
Amanda McCluskey won this award. Ms McCluskey is head of responsible investment and sustainability for Colonial First State Global Asset Management. She has been a leader in developing and delivering strategy on sustainability and climate change issues across the investment sector.
Ms McCluskey provides national and global leadership to help institutions and investors consider the environmental and social impacts on financial performance.
She was founding deputy chair of the Investor Group on Climate Change, is on the board of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and is involved with UN initiatives on responsible investment.
Minister for the Environment and Minister for Heritage, Robyn Parker, commenting on other winners, said: “Water Award winner Cameron’s Nursery overcame the company’s unique watering needs by designing a new capillary watering system saving 3.5 million litres of drinking water a year.”
“Housing NSW built the first 5-star green rated social housing project in Australia to win the Public Sector Sustainability Award.
“And the Farming the Sun project, a joint winner in the first Green Globe Regional Sustainability Award category, established the largest community-driven solar technology initiative in Australia.
“The great work of OzHarvest in collecting and distributing food waste from restaurants, food outlets and corporate kitchens to provide for those in need is also recognised through their Community Sustainability Award win,” Ms Parker said.
A panel of experts chose the winners for their demonstration of outstanding leadership, innovation and vision for a sustainable NSW.
The 14 award recipients represented NSW small and large business, public sector and not-for-profit organisations, as well as individuals
A NABERS spokeswoman said the award recipients showed what could be achieved with commitment, innovation and careful planning.
With NABERS as a platform the work of the recipients re-enforced the global leadership of the Australian commercial property sector in achieving improved environmental performance, she said.
Main winners
- Energy Award, enLightenAustralia
- Water Award, Cameron’s Nursery
- Waste and Recycling Award, Dunlop Flooring
- Business Sustainability Award, The GPT Group
- Small Business Sustainability Award, Instyle Contract Textiles
- Public Sector Sustainability Award, Housing NSW, Department of Family and Community Services.
- Built Environment Sustainability Award, Investa Property Group
- Local Government Sustainability Award, Willoughby City Council
- Community Sustainability Award, OzHarvest
- Regional Sustainability Award, joint winners: Starfish Enterprises, Farming the Sun and Charles Sturt University
- Sustainability Champion Award, Amanda McCluskey
- Climate Change Leadership Award, Investa Property Group –Tri-generation precinct
- Environmental Innovation Award, enLighten Australia (Chamaeleon Multi light Function)
- Premier’s Award for Sustainability Excellence - Investa Property Group
