Leveraging Environmental Dollars at UNSW

1. Leveraging Environmental Dollars at UNSW Danielle Cole Green Office Program Coordinator University of New South Wales

2. Unfortunately the environmental argument alone isn’t always enough. • Reduced resource usage = Reduced costs • Re-invest savings into additional environmental projects and programs.

3. Overview • EMP history and background • Leveraging environmental $$ EMP - Direct University funding - Grants and consultancies • Fee for service OTHER FACILITIES DEPARTMENTS - “Fabric” and operational management • The future • Conclusion

4. EMP history and background • Set up 1995 in Inst. of Environmental Studies, administratively located in Facilities from 1998 • Retains strategic reporting accountability to Environment Policy Advisory Committee (EPAC)

5. UNSW Environment Policy • To… “strive for environmental best practice…[and] lead the way in developing environmental best practice utilising the intellectual and research capabilities of the University” • To… “promote the principles and practices of environmental responsibility by sharing knowledge and experience with other universities, government and private organisations and community groups”

6. “The EMP unit seeks to introduce an element of integration to environmental management at UNSW through developing links between academic and operational staff, students and the wider community…”

7. EMP activity areas (slide 1 of 2) • Green Office Program, designed to introduce environmentally responsible products and practices to UNSW offices (also accountable for delivery of unswitch energy conservation campaign) • Recycled Organics Unit, established as NSW centre for organic resource management, information, R&D, demonstration and training • Ecoliving Program, created to provide a working model of accessible, ecologically sustainable urban living and a dynamic learning resource for the University and general community

8. EMP activity areas (slide 2 of 2) • Greenhouse Challenge, targeted at reducing UNSW greenhouse gas emissions from energy consumption, waste disposal and transport • Environmental Auditing Short Course, partnership between EMP unit and School of Safety Science • Indoor Plant Leasing Service, supplies and maintains indoor plants for UNSW offices • Range of policy and strategic tasks/projects aimed at placing the environment on the agenda with respect to operational and “fabric” matters

9. Interaction with Facilities - Overview • About one third of our activities relate to the Facilities sphere of influence, directly, or indirectly through links we have established between teaching, research and campus environmental management

10. 9 positions, 7 full-time, 2 part-time $570,000 budget EMP Budget 2001

11. 1. Direct UNSW funding • 18% of EMP budget • Equivalent to $100, 000p.a • Funds EMP manager and general EMP operating costs

12. 2. External grants and consultancies • 66% of EMP budget • Equivalent to $380,000p.a • Funds Recycled Organics Unit, Ecoliving Program, some Green Office projects

13. Major Projects 2001 - Consultancy ROU • Series of best practice organic resource management manuals for NSW Waste Boards • QA systems for composting facilities • National competency standards and accredited training programs for organic resource industry • Development of extensive on-line organics information resources • Input into Australian Standards for recycled organics GOP • Office audit manual for Fuji Xerox

14. Major Projects 2001 - Grants ECOLIVING PROGRAM • Philanthropic trust • State and local government grants

15. 3. Internal fee-for-service • 16% of EMP budget • Equivalent to $90,000p.a • Funds the Green Office Program

16. UNSW Green Office Program • Purchasing • Waste reduction and recycling • Energy conservation • Workplace ecology

17. UNSW Green Office Program • Communication via seminars, e-mail discussion group, campus publications, campaigns and office deliveries • Full-time coordinator, 2 part-time permanent assistants • Funding: remanufactured toner cartridges, Energy Management Unit, Indoor Plant Leasing Service

18. Remanufactured toner cartridges Photo: Empty toner cartridges awaiting collection. Each empty toner cartridge is worth $5 to GOP.

19. Benefits of toner cartridge service • Highly profitable – average of $25 mark-up per cartridge, $5 per empty • Cheap, reliable cartridges available to UNSW staff • Raises environmental awareness within the University culture • Reduced waste to landfill and raw material requirements

20. Environmental dollars – Remanufactured cartridge service

21. Indoor Plant Leasing Service • Established 2000 • Modeled on similar service at Wollongong University • Employs ex-UNSW student 3 days per week • 350 plants, weekly income of $800

22. Environmental dollars –Indoor Plant Leasing Service

23. PC unswitch Campaign All staff requested to: • Turn off monitors when not in use for periods exceeding half an hour • Shut down and switch off computers at the end of the day unless it is essential to leave them on

26. PC unswitch Campaign

27. Stationery Re-use Centre • Established in 2000. • More than 300 staff and students have visited the Centre • Students also collect items from stationery giveaways outside the Library organised every 6 months by the Student Environment Collective • Staff donate their unwanted stationery

28. Environmental dollars – Stationery Re-Use Centre • All items re-distributed at no charge, therefore no direct funding to GOP • $11,800 worth of stationery went through the Stationery Re-use Centre in 2001, including: -27 boxes of computer paper -437 folders -6500 reusable envelopes • Reduced waste to landfill = reduced waste disposal costs

29. Enviro Pads • 110-120 page bound lecture pads made from waste A4 paper that has only been used on one side • Sold at Union retail outlets for $1.75 each • GOP receives $1.27 per lecture pad

30. Enviro Pads • Made by volunteers from the Enviro Collective • Managed by a paid student coordinator using grant from Student Guild and income from the sale of the lecture pads

31. Operations and “fabric” management • Recycled toilet paper – Campus Services • Power Factor Correction - Energy Management Unit • Water Conservation Initiatives - Engineering Operations

32. Recycled toilet paper – Campus Services BEFORE • $37 per carton • Virgin pulp • Non-standard toilet rolls AFTER • $22 per carton • Recycled pulp • Standard toilet rolls

34. Power Factor Correction - Engineering Services • Power Factor Correction equipment installed in 1999 at cost of $1 million • Power efficiency increased from 83% to 96-97% • Savings of $300,000 annually, 3 year payback period • Delay upgrading high voltage mains

35. Water Conservation Initiatives- Engineering Operations

36. How? • Tracing pipe leakage • Replacement of toilet systems with dual flush capabilities • Installation of electronic flushing systems in urinals • Installation of flow restrictors in basins and showers • Substitution of potable water with bore water

37. Leveraging Environmental Dollars at UNSW- the Future • Further projects to promote energy efficiency • Further projects addressing operations and fabric management • Incorporating environmental design into future building works • Waste minimisation officer position • Interest free loan fund – Harvard University

38. Harvard Interest-Free Loan Fund • Established 1993 • Environmental projects that had a payback of less than 5 years • Once loan paid back, savings returned to faculty • 35 projects, $2.6 million upfront expenses • First year savings estimated at $800,000, 34% return on investments, 5 year savings of $4.5 million • Projects: installation of water saving technologies, lighting upgrades, HVAC efficiency improvements etc.

39. Harvard Interest-Free Loan Fund

40. Harvard Interest-Free Loan Fund - Further informationwww.greencampus.harvard.edu

41. Interest-Free Loan Fund for UNSW? • Study to investigate the feasibility of a similar loan scheme at UNSW has recently been approved by EPAC • no structure exists to encourage, coordinate, support and promote new environmental initiatives which extend beyond the limitations of UNSW’s existing frameworks

42. Conclusions • The potential is infinite! • Environmental dollars = generating funds and saving dollars • Students are a unique resource – use them! • Don’t overlook projects with long payback periods or paybacks that are difficult to quantify – consider all benefits and spin-offs • Capture and re-invest $$ into further environmental projects