Going Green on a Budget a perspective from Sustainability Victoria Ken Guthrie and Katrina Woolfe

2. Going Green on a Budget a perspective from Sustainability Victoria Ken Guthrie and Katrina Woolfe VCOSS Congress – 6 August2009

3. What is Sustainability Victoria? • As part of the Victorian Government, we are a catalyst for sustainable growth and development in Victoria • We bring together the knowledge and capabilities of people, organisations and communities to deliver integrated social, economic and environmental

4. Vision • That Victorians use resources sustainably to support a thriving community and economy.

5. Outline • Our community sector programs • Approaches to environmental management • Case study: Sustainability Victoria’s EMS • Available resources and support

6. Our community sector activities • Energy and Water Task Force • Assessments and retrofits for low income and disadvantaged households • Green skills training & employment • Community workshops Work team engaged from local area and trained Household recruitment Energy and waterassessment Retrofit & energy saving advice

7. Our community sector activities • Whitegoods rebate

8. Our community sector activities • Connecting community groups • Sustainability Fund • 3 Funding Rounds • EcoLiving Centres • Neighbourhood Renewal projects

9. Sustainability Fund • New funding round announced 5 August • Applications close 30 September • Two funding streams: • Up to $3.5 for programs for households • Up to $1 million for new community sector programs to ‘climate change proof’ low income households

10. Sustainability Fund projects • EW Tipping • Environmental action for people with disabilities in group homes • Harrison UnitingCare • Sustainability needs of over 55's in independent living accommodation • Environment Victoria • Greentowns project supporting environmental leaders in multicultural communities

11. Reducing environmental impacts in community operated facilities • Environmental Management System (EMS) • System that supports the establishment, tracking and continuous improvement against environmental impact reduction targets • Record operational environmental objectives, how to meet them and verification of progress • Establish the scope of what needs to be managed e.g. energy, waste, water and paper use as well as transport and purchasing • What does this look like in practice? SV example

12. Structure of an EMS

13. Commitment and policy Supported by Board & Senior Management GreenLeaders Monthly meetings Bi-monthly campaigns Raise awareness with staff Implement campaigns Formal recognition in Performance Plans

14. Environmental Sustainability Policy support, encourage and assist Victorians to use resources more efficiently and reduce everyday environmental impacts leading by example, in particular through environmentally sustainable practices in work place and activities understanding the environmental aspects and impacts of our activities and ensuring there is a system in place to manage them and strive for continual improvement

15. Environmental Sustainability Policy minimise the production of greenhouse gases and achieve a carbon neutral organisation purchase with waste avoidance & closing the recycling loop strive towards zero waste to landfill minimise the use of water reduce the lifecycle impacts of our operations and products train and support staff to work within the EMS

16. SV EMS Targets and Results

17. The way we work - operationally Paper SOP Energy SOP Waste SOP Transport SOP Purchasing SOP Water SOP

18. Monthly campaigns This bin no more! From here on in…

19. Top 10 Things to Do

20. Greenhouse, water and cost savings achieved • From 424 MJs/m2 to 240 MJs/m2 equates to ≈ $14,000/year savings • Equivalent greenhouse savings of approx 140 tCO2_e/year • Blackwater treatment plant saving over 80% water

21. What we’ve learnt • It is possible to achieve significant levels of environmental performance within a commercial budget • A well conceived process is critical to making this happen • The return in energy savings, productivity gains and staff satisfaction out weigh any capital costs.

22. Training in resource management • RMIT Sustainability in Business and Government - An introduction to Energy, Water and Waste Management (4 days) • reduce energy and water use and waste production in a typical business or industry • meet requirements for assessment and compliance • communicate within the organisation including explaining the findings to management, staff and external stakeholders • Moreland Energy Foundation - Introduction to Energy Management (1 day)

23. Support for community organisations • EMS ‘outreach’ • Assist organisations: • Reducing their energy consumption by up to 50% • Limiting waste to landfill to 5% of the total fraction • Cutting paper consumption in half • Increasing sustainable commute travel • Decreasing water consumption • Improving organisational culture • Solar in Schools rebate • Solar panels (PV) on community facilities and schools • Education activities in community facilities and schools

24. For further information • Sustainability Victoria & Sustainability Fund www.sustainability.vic.gov.au • Information about resource efficiency www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au