The City of Sydney has extended funding for the CitySwitch office energy efficiency program for another three years as it reaches 10 per cent of commercial office space across Australia.
City of Sydney Council approved $770,000 to fund a three-year continuation to 2015 of the program. A broad range of signatories - including companies, government departments, unions and charities have already signed up.
“The commercial office building sector accounts for about half of the City of Sydney’s carbon pollution and tenants are responsible for a quarter of this so CitySwitch has an important role to play in tackling climate change,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.
CitySwitch was launched nationally in June 2008. By June last year, CitySwitch had verified 26,000 tonnes of carbon emission reductions, nationally, equal to taking 8,500 cars off the road.
In Sydney, the program has attracted 69 businesses, covering 712,000 square metres, representing 15 per cent of the commercial office space since 2005.
CitySwitch signatories commit to achieving 4 stars or higher on the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) for their tenancy.
NABERS is an industry recognised tool used by building owners and tenants across Australia to measure and benchmark their greenhouse gas reduction performance. Star ratings go from one up to six with the average 2.5 stars.
Obtaining a NABERS rating is now even more important with a new federal law requiring owners to certify their building’s energy efficiency before they lease, sub-lease or sell office space greater than 2,000 square metres.
