The latest independent audit of fabricators signed to the Australian Steel Institute’s environmental stewardship program has awarded Gold status to four members for their performance under the ASI’s Environmental Sustainability Charter (ESC).
The audit conferred a gold rating to ESC members Hutchins Bros (NSW), Manuele Engineering (South Australia), Rodger Giles Builders (Queensland) and Rondo Building Services (NSW).
The Gold members demonstrated industry best practice, closely followed an Environmental Management Scheme (EMS) in accordance with the Charter, worked to meet Charter ideals and showed strong environmental awareness and culture in the organisation.
The recent audit also granted Silver status to Advanced Steel Fabrications (South Australia), Beenleigh Steel Fabrications and Central Engineering (Queensland), GFC Industries and Stilcon Holdings (Victoria). Silver members demonstrated evidence of sound environmental management throughout the organisation and are working on continual improvement.
As a result of the GBCA’s Green Star ‘Steel’ credit review in 2010, the ASI created the Charter and environmental management program for downstream steel processors to embed environmental improvement in this section of the steel industry.
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) now requires engagement of ESC member fabricators for building projects to qualify for an available Green Star point.
The ASI’s ESC requires members to be independently audited to the system annually to retain membership and to demonstrate continual improvement and culture change in environmental management of their business operations.
Managing Director and Chief Change Facilitator at Allixir, Amy Luscombe conducted the audits and said that she was generally impressed with the level of commitment demonstrated by Charter members who are mostly SMEs with limited resources.
“This is an industry with (mostly) little environmental knowledge, expertise or resources, yet I’ve witnessed businesses embrace environmental improvement and management across their entire organization,” she said.
“We’ve seen environmental improvement initiatives such as lighting retrofit and roofing replacement projects, environmental management training of all staff, full waste sorting and recovery and better stock management to improve steel utilisation and lower wastage.”
“These dedicated steel businesses which directly interface with designers and builders are helping shore up a critical link in the steel supply chain to produce steel products more responsibly for the built environment,” added ASI National Manager Marketing, David Ryan who manages the program.
“A good environmental case is often also the best business case so this program is also often reducing steelwork costs and improving efficiency.”
“This has a strong commercial case also for builders to gain that extra Green Star point as more buildings look for a GreenStar rating,” said Mr Ryan.
