Articles
NABERS ratings - the next generation
In the 10 years since it began operations, the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) has become a leader in assessing the environmental performance of buildings. Adding even more significance to NABERS, coming of age is the federal government’s scheme requiring office building energy efficiency to be disclosed at sale or lease, which is expected to commence in the second half of this year.
[ + ]Sludge can ooze money
For municipal and industrial applications, sludge dewatering with belt filter presses and plate filter presses has proven to be an economical means of reducing sludge volumes produced from wastewater treatment plants. Depending on the volumes to be treated, payback periods on the capital cost of a dewatering plant can be as little as three months and rarely exceeds 16 months. John Koumoukelis reports:
[ + ]Know your environmental responsibilities
As Environmental Management Systems (EMS) have now become an essential part of our standard operating procedures and thought processes, it is becoming increasingly necessary for field and operational staff in the industries of engineering, manufacturing, construction and mining to take on the responsibilities of the supervision of on-site environmental compliance.
[ + ]Climate change adaptation resource
Resilient and durable infrastructure is predicated on its designers and managers having a solid understanding of the conditions that it will face over its useful life, which is typically from 20 to over 100 years.
[ + ]Australia’s water sector - enabling education and innovation
Australia’s water sector is recognised globally as one of the first required to adapt to dramatic changes in water availability due to climate change. Through traditional technology solutions (desalination and treatment for re-use) and more radical options (strong demand management and recycling networks), progress has been made but at a considerable cost in energy, carbon emissions and dollars.
[ + ]Global change: the need for bathtub thinking
At present there is an immense research effort directed towards improving our understanding of the dynamics of the Earth system. Twenty-nine of the world’s leading Earth-system scientists have recently summarised the reasons why they are so worried about the future.
[ + ]Sewage gas providing green energy
Methane gas from Glenfield Sewage Treatment Plant is being converted to green energy under new technology being rolled out at sewage treatment plants across Greater Sydney, NSW Minister for Water, Phil Costa has announced.
[ + ]Tank water protection
Maintaining rainwater tanks and other storages used for drinking water in a good healthy condition is important in removing the risk of outbreaks of dengue fever - a mosquito-borne viral disease which is often symptom-less but can create fatal consequences.
[ + ]National Solar Schools Program
ABB has announced that the recently developed S800PV circuit breakers have been used successfully in solar power applications in Australian schools. Designed specifically for the photovoltaic (PV) industry, ABB’s S800PV high-performance miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) and IP65 enclosures are protecting Australian schools’ investment in green energy, including the recently installed 6 kW solar power system at Wenona girls school in Sydney.
[ + ]Crowne Plaza Melbourne increases energy efficiency
Crowne Plaza Melbourne is a 4.5 star hotel which is now recognised internationally with ‘Green Globe Bronze’, a worldwide benchmarking and certification program which facilitates sustainable management and operations. Green Globe certification standards cover: environment and energy (70%), conservation (10%) and corporate social responsibility (20%). The hotel is now working to achieve ‘Green Globe Silver’ status.
[ + ]Wyndham Civic Centre lights up
Werribee City Council recently completed the upgrading of the lighting in the car parks and roadways of the Wyndham Civic Centre in Victoria. After careful consideration of the available energy-efficient lighting options, including T5 and CFL options, the council chose a Pecan Lighting Grid Tied Solar Public Lighting (GTSPL) system using Beta-LED LEDway luminaires. The supplier, Lateral Technology, worked with the council’s engineering consultants to provide technical and historical information on the system.
[ + ]Decentralised sewerage solution
Yarra Valley Water (YVW) recently awarded Innoflow Australia/Orenco Systems with the contract to supply interceptor tanks and effluent filtration/pump packages for the community septic tank effluent pumped (STEP) wastewater collection system, for the Kinglake West Sewerage project.
[ + ]Upgrade wastewater treatment plant
Black & Veatch has confirmed that the company will be part of the Eastern Tertiary Alliance that will deliver the tertiary upgrade of the Eastern Treatment Plant in Melbourne, the largest activated sludge plant in the country. This follows the success of Stage 1 of the project, where Black & Veatch was asked to lead a series of technology trials to determine the preferred treatment technology to be used.
[ + ]Rainwater harvesting system
Grundfos Pumps’s head office, located in Regency Park, South Australia, has recently completed the installation of a rainwater harvesting system. The system comprises three 50,000 L tanks that collect rainwater from 1,500 m2 of roof catchment area.
[ + ]The link between sustainability and business performance
There’s been an exciting shift in sustainability in the past five years - businesses have realised there’s no disconnect between good environmental management and business performance. We help these businesses integrate environmental and other business activities to reap productivity increases and reduced costs - all the while improving our sustainability.
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