Media Release: COMMERCIAL TENANTS MAKE THE SWITCH TO REDUCE CARBON

FROM THE MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

DATE: Wednesday, June 25, 2008

COMMERCIAL TENANTS MAKE THE SWITCH TO REDUCE CARBON

The Brumby Government has joined the CitySwitch Green Office program in partnership with the City of Melbourne to help commercial building tenants and owners to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings said the world-leading environmental program for commercial tenancies helps CBD office tenants play a greater role in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.

“It is important to give building owners and tenants a framework for reducing emissions from their buildings,” Mr Jennings said.

“This program is a great way to implement green initiatives in businesses and also for businesses to begin to prepare themselves for the introduction of a carbon price.

“The CitySwitch Green Office program will provide real savings and deliver long-term environmental benefits and the value of these savings will increase under an emissions trading scheme.”

Worldwide it is estimated that 40 per cent of energy use is in buildings. If all of Australia’s commercial office tenants made simple changes as part of CitySwitch Green Office it would be equivalent of taking 200,000 cars off the road.

“I encourage Melbourne businesses to join the CitySwitch Green Offices program. By taking simple actions - such as upgrading office lighting, making sure equipment is not left on stand-by, and installing shading or blinds on windows - they can help eliminate unnecessary energy use and reduce their environmental impact,” Mr Jennings said.

The program will also serve as a point of contact and advice for tenants and owners on the services which are available to reduce energy consumption from buildings in the longer term.

Investa property group, which has assets of $9 billion and has supported the program in association with WWF, the City of Melbourne and Sustainability Victoria, outlined how office tenants can tackle climate change.

Investa CEO John Thomas said: “As owners and managers of a large commercial office portfolio, we believe in being a leader in this area and by helping our tenants become more energy efficient it in turn helps our business.”

Nationally, the program aims to sign up around 700 businesses by 2012, a goal that will cover 76 per cent of the combined commercial office space in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.