Welcome to Econnect Communication’s March 2004 newsletter – ‘Practice what you Preach’. This newsletter’s theme has been inspired by recent work we did in helping develop a series of entries for the Banksia Awards for the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency.

 

Investigating how businesses are investing in doing things in an eco-friendly way made us re-examine our own practices here at Econnect.  For example, we’re currently looking to renovate our West End premises to make more space available for lease (contact us if you’re interested – we’re hoping to complete this by about August/September). We’re now planning to install a rainwater tank to use with our gardens and toilets. And instead of tearing down the back deck to build a new one, we’ve asked our architect to look at renovating it so we can reduce our waste. We’ll also be using Rockcote paints (see article) and choosing a demolition contractor who recycles concrete. On a smaller scale we’re looking to reduce our energy use (see article from the Murray-Darling Basin Commission) and put more effort into recycling paper waste.

 

As usual, if you have any feedback or ideas you’d like to add to our newsletter, we’d love to hear from you.

 

Regards,

Econnect Communication

Jenni Metcalfe, Michelle Riedlinger, Terri Telford

 

This month – March 2004

Practice what you Preach

1. Queensland companies invest in the future

2. MDBC's Green Office Program

3. Roll out the red carpet for Interface Inc.

4. Footprints in the Landscape – Treading Lightly

5. Subscribe to our free monthly e-newsletter

6. Contact Us

 

1.      Queensland companies invest in the future

By Jenni Metcalfe

Here’s a little about two companies based in Queensland who are doing inspiring things.

 

Rockcote manufactures render, textured coatings and environmentally friendly paints. Their vision is to be the first fully sustainable and then regenerative company on the planet by 2016. They define sustainability as: a dynamic process which enables all people to realise their potential and improve their quality of life in ways that both protect and improve the earth’s life support systems.

 

Rockcote admits that their vision cannot be achieved using currently available technology. However, 2 years ago their EcoStyle range of paints was considered impossible by the industry. They will apply the same principles to achieving this vision. These principles include:

  • applying the concept of biomimicry – modelling business systems and manufacturing processes on natural living systems;
  • using processes of collaboration rather than competition and confrontation;
  • optimisation rather than compromising; and
  • sharing information with suppliers, staff, customers and competitors for mutual benefits

 

Rockcote apply their environmental principles and processes to their showrooms on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, and to their products and business processes.

 

Rockcote’s buildings are designed to reduce use and/or recycle energy, water and waste. The new building, being built at the Gold Coast, will not require any water from the Council and will provide electricity back to the local grid. All sewage will be treated on-site with the waste products used as recycled water and compost for surrounding fruit and vegetable gardens.

 

They are the first paint company in Australia to produce a complete range of commercially viable paints and coatings with virtually zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in them. This makes their paint safer for painters and consumers and free of dangerous chemicals and solvents.

 

When urban designers Pike Mirls McKnoulty (PMM) decided to relocate from West End to Ann St in The Valley in Brisbane, they saw it as an opportunity to showcase the innovative sustainability measures with which they aim to be synonymous. They wanted to demonstrate that sustainability could save money was well as provide a superior working environment.

 

PMM took over the former Ansett Transport Industries building and refurbished it for its 120 Brisbane-based staff to be more environmentally and socially sustainable. They sought to demonstrate to their peers that such sustainability measures were also financially viable. The sustainability measures incorporated into the new building aimed to:

  • reuse as much as the existing building materials as possible and to recycle any demolished waste materials;
  • design exterior and interior spaces in an integrated process to maximise staff amenity while minimising environmental impacts and consumption of resources;
  • construct and fit out the refurbished building using materials and processes that were environmentally friendly; and 
  • make the functioning of the building sustainable in the long-term.

 

The design brief for the building required a functional, efficient and attractive building that was also healthy and comfortable for staff. It needed to consider the strong western sun on the front of the building and its location on a busy inner city street. The major features of the design that resulted include:

  • a thermosiphon wall that regulates the heat load on the north west wall of the building to reduce the amount of heat entering the foyer in the afternoon; it does this by absorbing the sun’s heat on the wall, which causes hot air in the vent behind the wall to rise and exit from the top of the wall on hotter days;
  • natural ventilation within the building’s atrium through thermostatic controlled vents
  • passive solar design to increase use of natural light and reduce energy use
  • sunshade structures over front patio area to restrict the heat from penetrating the building
  • retail shops added to the front of the building to strengthen its relationship to the street and the community and increase the building’s visibility
  • Biofilter planter system in the foyer using potted plants and charcoal to filter internal air and remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
  • air cooled air conditioning units rather than water cooled units, saving energy and water
  • the ability to light and cool/heat sections of the building rather than the whole building.

 

The building materials used to refurbish the building were preferentially selected from local products or manufacturers, according to the amount of energy that had gone into their production; whether they were long-wearing; and if they were made from recyclable/renewable materials. Materials included:

  • plantation pine or stud frames to partition walls rather than steel;
  • Modwood timber decking made from sawdust and recycled domestic plastics on the front deck;
  • long life, hard wearing, low VOC, recycled and recyclable carpet from Interface Carpets; (see later article in this newsletter)
  • Rockcote EcoStyle paints that are odourless, without toxic fumes and free of hazardous chemicals and solvents; and
  • E1 emission rated particle board, recycled plastic edge strip, recycled rubber/foam material and low VOC boards on the work stations.

 

2.      MDBC's Green Office Program

By James Baird

With the aim of reducing our environmental footprint, in 2003 the Murray-Darling Basin Commission (the Commission) initiated a Green Office Program to address the environmental impacts of its workplace.

 

The initial driver for implementing the Green Office Program was the “practice what we preach” doctrine.  The Commission is a major contributor to natural resource management policy in Australia and it is important that we apply the strong environmental principles that have influenced environmental management across the Murray-Darling Basin to our own operations.

 

Whilst this remains an important driver, what soon became apparent is that in addressing our environmental impacts we were not only going to realise improved environmental outcomes but also make potentially significant financial gains.

 

The actions implemented under the Green Office Program to date have required minimal capital investment, have addressed simple issues around the office and have resulted in a number of efficiency improvements.  For example, simply addressing operating protocols for computer equipment has potentially saved the Commission up to $7000 in energy costs and 45 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.

 

For organisations such as the Commission the “practice what we preach” doctrine is a strong driver to implement such a program.  But for the broader business community the message is clear – green business is good business – and with little capital outlay or specialist knowledge required initially, the savings are there to be made.

 

For further information contact:

James Baird

Coordinator MDBC Green Office Program

james.baird@mdbc.gov.au

 

3.      Roll out the red carpet for Interface Inc.

By Colleen Foelz, ASC Queensland Regional Coordinator

I’m not sure what will be the more memorable about the weekend of Feb 21–22 ¾ the record-breaking heat or the book I read in record-breaking time. And when I say it was about manufacturing and selling carpets, you’ll be thinking the heat had gotten to me!

 

Mid-Course Correction tells the story of Interface carpets, the world’s largest producer of commercial floor coverings. The company’s revolution started when CEO Ray Anderson recognises the drain the million-dollar industry was putting on the planet. He writes…

 

“In 1995 [we] extracted from the earth and processed 1.224 billion pounds of material so we could produce those $802 million worth of products… I asked for that calculation and when the answer came back, I was staggered; I don’t know how it struck them in Boston, or how it strikes you reading this, but it made me want to throw up.”

 

Mid-Course Correction takes you right to the heart of Ray Anderson’s passion for finding smart and sustainable solutions. For what could have been a dry topic, it’s a very personal and often amusing account. Moving scenes at the company’s huge anniversary celebrations in Maui capture the spirit of how much people working together can achieve.                                                                                                                                                        

 

It’s an easy read, making it a good book to recommend to busy people with influence.

 

The website http://www.interfacesustainability.com  includes an interview about how the concept of biomimcry lead to the development of the successful product line EntropyTM

 

4.      Footprints in the Landscape – Treading Lightly

Toowoomba will host the first “Qld Youth River and Landscape Conference” for students.

 

The 2 day conference, themed "Footprints in the Landscape – Treading Lightly" will connect students with industry mentors including scientists and community leaders in natural resource management (NRM). They will study topics of their choice (i.e. floodplain management, water quality, cultural heritage connections with the environment, blue-green algae etc) and develop local environmental management projects in their region.  They then come together at the conference to teach each other about what they have learnt.  So it is kids presenting to kids and providing a platform for our next generation and future leaders to become involved in natural resource management.

 

Please visit www.riverhealth.com for more information.

 

5.      Subscribe to our free monthly e-newsletter

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View past newsletters: http://www.econnect.com.au/news_newsletter.htm

 

6.      Contact Us

Econnect Communication works with science, environment, ecotourism and natural resource management agencies to:

  • evaluate and develop communication strategies
  • write and design products that meet audience needs
  • run workshops that train staff and management in communication skills

 

Contact us: phone 07 3846 7111; email admin@econnect.com.au 

Website: http://www.econnect.com.au

New tips: http://www.econnect.com.au/news_qt.htm

 

© Econnect Communication Pty Ltd, 2004

Articles in this newsletter can be reproduced if Econnect Communication Pty Ltd

is acknowledged as the source