Greening Your Business
City Switch | Smart Green Business |Green your business now
City Switch
CitySwitch Green Office is a national tenant energy-efficiency program run in partnership between the cities of Sydney, North Sydney, Parramatta, Willoughby, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth.
It is supported by state government agencies: the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change & Water and Sustainability Victoria.
The program works with tenants to improve office energy-efficiency. Tenants can influence up to 50 per cent of total energy use in office buildings. In making changes to energy use, businesses can save money and help our environment.
Smart Green Business
Smart Green Business is a City of Sydney program designed to help its small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) save money and improve their environmental performance.
Run in partnership with Sydney Water and the Office of Environment and Heritage,
How does this program benefit you?
Smart Green Business works with individual SMEs to benefit your business in the following ways:
Save money
Reduce your operating costs
through more efficient use of water
and energy resources, and improve
waste management
Access to information
Receive the latest industry-relevant sustainability information and learn from industry experts how to enhance your business practices through environmental efficiencies
Strengthen reputation
Find out how you can improve your environmental credentials and attract new business as well as enhance your reputation with existing customers, suppliers and other businesses
Advice and support
Free professional guidance and
support is provided to you throughout this program
Who is eligible?
To be eligible for the Smart Green Business program, you need to be a small or medium sized business operating within the City of Sydney.
Proven track record
Phase two of Smart Green Business began in August 2011, and has already produced the following positive benefits for the City of Sydney's SMEs as well as for our environment.
Water
Water changes implemented through the program will equate to a savings of 36.8 megalitres of water per annum - the equivalent of 14.7 Olympic swimming pools. This is an average of 1.4 megalitres of water and $4,400 saved per business per annum.
Waste
Waste management work conducted through Smart Green Business at the end of 2011 will see approximately 945 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill each year.
Energy
A range of measures identified by phase 2 of the program will see an annual energy savings of 81,000 kilowatts across participating City of Sydney SMEs.
Co2e-t saving
The total carbon emission reductions stemming from the program as of January 2012 is 1,355 Co2e-t.
Contact us
To arrange a consultation or find out more about Smart Green Business, contact Jonathan Boys at the City of Sydney on 9265 9333.
Business success stories
See below for case studies from businesses who participated in the pilot Smart Green Business program and saved money while improving their environmental performance.
Download
Greening your business now
Cigarette butt littering
Call us on 9265 9333 to receive a stainless steel wall mounted ashtray for your business free of charge. It’s the responsibility of the business to install this ashtray in a suitable location on the outside of their building and to regularly empty, maintain and clean it.
Your Rates
Council rates that businesses in the City of Sydney pay do not cover waste and recycling collections. Residential properties receive these collections because they pay a Waste Services Charge within their rates.
All businesses need to have their own waste contractor to collect and dispose of their rubbish. We also strongly recommend that businesses hire their own recycling contractor to collect recyclables too.
Current Status
Almost 50% of all waste in Sydney is generated from the Commercial & Industrial sector and only 28% of this waste is recycled, so we need your help.
Find out where to recycle all of those tricky items through Planet Ark's new recycling directory specifically designed for businesses! Visit www.businessrecycling.com.au
Recycle as much as possible
Recycling helps the environment and the economy by conserving resources & creating jobs.
- Make sure you have a recycling contractor.
- Separate recyclables (paper, glass etc) from your waste for collection
- Recycle your excess food for free! Oz Harvest donates excess food from function centres, caterers, corporate offices, restaurants, cafes to charities. Call 02 9516 3877 or visit www.ozharvest.org
- Purchase products, packaging and stationery made from recycled content. For more information on green procurement download this factsheet (PDF 1.27Mb).
- Using recycled furniture to fit out your office often allows you to buy higher quality items at a lower price, saving valuable resources at the same time. Contact re-use centres like The Bower or Reverse Garbage to donate your old furniture and find new pieces that won’t cost the earth.
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Last Updated: Wednesday 18 January, 2012
