Articles
Lighting upgrade at distribution centre
3M recently commissioned The Energy Efficient Lighting Company (EELCO) to replace the standard power-hungry high bay lights used throughout its Pemulwuy medical goods distribution centre.
[ + ]Art gallery proving energy efficient
Christchurch Art Gallery has been reducing its energy costs and becoming more energy efficent, following the introduction of a steam humidifier and landfill gas, electricity and chilled water pipelines from the civic offices. From early 2011, chilled water and electrical power will be transported from the tri-generator on the roof of the civic building on Hereford Street directly to the art gallery.
[ + ]Sustainable packaging: eco-friendly and unbreakable
Sustainability is steadily gaining in importance for consumers. They want ethically and ecologically impeccable products, packaged in a resource-conserving manner that nevertheless ensures their perfect condition when purchased. This is a major challenge to packaging producers, as the industry wants to save on materials without compromising the stability of the packaging in any way.
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Industry input sought on extending NABERS rating scale
Australian buildings are becoming so much more energy efficient; the NABERS program has opened up a discussion on extending its traditional five-star rating scale.
[ + ]Global CO2 emissions may set a record this year
Global carbon dioxide emissions contributing to atmospheric warming show no sign of abating and may reach record levels in 2010, according to the Global Carbon Project (GCP), supported by CSIRO’s Marine and Atmospheric Research Division.
[ + ]Sustainable operations for manufacturing in Australia
Productivity, competitiveness and sustainability have been identified by the Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA) as the most significant actions for manufacturers to adopt in Australia.
[ + ]Modelling tool for groundwater research
State-of-the-art modelling and research tools to help Australia better manage its groundwater and catchments have been made available to a national groundwater research centre.
[ + ]Major genome project heralds freedom from fossil fuel-based fertilisers
The world is one step closer to being freed from a reliance on fossil fuel-based fertiliser with the announcement of a $10 million project underway at Murdoch University.
[ + ]Climate change: cultural shift needed similar to smoking
Despite scientific evidence of climate change, it will take a significant cultural shift in attitudes to address the situation, says a University of Michigan researcher.
[ + ]Food waste - a resource with value
Households throw away billions of dollars of edible food each year, equating to around 3 kg of food waste each week per household. This is not only a massive waste of food, but it is also a waste of energy, water and resources which have been used in the production of that food. This was one of the topics discussed as the recent Zero Waste conference held in Sydney in September.
[ + ]The biophilic city
With increased threats from climate change, pollution and diminishing natural resources and biodiversity, it’s important to reconsider the way we live and the way we utilise our environments. Parson Brinckerhoff’s Director of Sustainability Darren Bilsborough* proposes the idea of a ‘biophilic city’ as one potential solution to these increasing pressures. He has developed a paper on an economic rationale supporting Biophilic Cities which is summarised in this article.
[ + ]Efficient materials management - the next big thing
ACOR (previously the Australian Council of Recyclers) has reinvented itself to take on the umbrella industry role of leading the push for governments to recognise the economic and environmental benefits of three complementary business systems: product stewardship, resource recovery and recycling. The organisation’s revised constitution and new leadership is designed to provide all businesses in these three sectors with a stronger voice nationally.
[ + ]The ARRT of recycling
Despite rising global concern on climate change and increasing scarcity of natural resources, Australia is sending over 21 million tonnes of waste to landfill every year. Technologies exist today that enable councils and businesses to deliver on their sustainability goals and greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint reductions. SITA Environmental Solutions (SITA) advanced resource recovery technology (ARRT) facilities offer a good alternative to process and re-use this ‘wasted’ landfilled feedstock.
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