A City of Sydney-led program to slash office energy use will now bring its carbon-cutting benefits to suburban and regional areas across Australia thanks to a major cash injection.

The CitySwitch Green Office program has received $1 million from the Australian Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism as part of the Energy Efficiency Information Grants Program.

CitySwitch represent 375 signatories who have 431 separate tenancies occupying almost two million square metres of office space.

Tenants joining the program commit to achieving a minimum 4-star rating for energy use on the national rating system, NABERS.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the extra funds would allow the CitySwitch Green Office program to expand into new areas and help reduce Australia’s carbon emissions.

“CitySwitch has been remarkably successful in Australia’s capital cities. Now it will help businesses in regional areas enjoy the savings bigger firms have been reaping,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Making simple changes to the way energy is used can have a lasting impact on a business’s bottom line.”

In Sydney, legal firm Norton Rose Fullbright claims it is saving $42,000 each year on energy bills in its 8,900 square metre tenancy after signing up to CitySwitch in 2010.

Recent CitySwitch Award winners Tract Consultants and GIW Environmental Solutions (architectural and urban design firms), have also said to have cut energy use in their shared office by 10 per cent, putting them on track to save $4,400 each year and achieve a 4 star NABERS rating.

Organisations including Merrill Lynch, Leightons, Corrs Chambers Westgarth and the Australian Nurses Federation have recently joined the CitySwitch Green Office program.

The City of Sydney is the national coordinator of the program whose partners include councils in North Sydney, Parramatta, Willoughby and Ryde, Adelaide City Council, City of Perth, City of Melbourne as well as the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.

CitySwitch national program coordinator Esther Bailey said the extra money could transform CitySwitch.

“We invite any local councils interested in helping local businesses reduce their energy consumption to get in touch and find out how CitySwitch can help,” Ms Bailey said.

The new funding coincides with the launch of CitySwitch’s new online resources – ranging from tips on setting up a switch-off behaviour change program in your office, to advice on the different government grants available for sustainable office upgrades.

In August, CitySwitch and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors will also host a series of events on how to choose and manage an energy efficient workplace with tips on how to best negotiate an energy-efficient lease.

Architecture & Design Team

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