CitySwitch > Latest Campaigns

Positive Power

Join the 100% renewable revolution

Australian businesses spend billions of dollars more than they should on energy. But there are easy and cost-effective ways to reduce energy use, energy bills and emissions.

We’ve launched the Positive Power campaign because we know small actions can add up to big savings. And we know big actions – like committing to the 100% renewable revolution – are now also savings businesses money whilst making an essential contribution to building a better future for the everyone.

Download our Positive Power campaign resources including tips to:

Rate your building or tenancy with NABERS
Work together to replace fossil fuels with renewables to cut costs and create better workplaces
Reduce your energy usage and make the switch to GreenPower
Restore through carbon offsets.

We can co-create a carbon positive future and achieve our collective goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Let’s get healthy, happy and sustainable together.

Positive Power resources

Beginner's Guide to Energy Efficient Lighting

Lighting upgrades can be relatively straightforward and offer rapid returns on investment, ongoing operational savings, and reduced maintenance.

Beginner's Guide to Energy Efficient Office Equipment

Computers and office equipment such as printers and photocopiers can contribute between 30 and 55 per cent of office energy use.

Beginner's Guide to Purchasing GreenPower

Even though installing solar PV or battery storage is often beyond the control of tenants, there are still ways tenants can control the type of energy consumed in their office.

Journey to becoming carbon neutral for SME's

This case study by dsquared consulting shares insights to becoming carbon neutral for as a small to medium enterprise.

Distributed energy in the property - today's opportunities

This guide, Distributed energy in the property sector – today’s opportunities, was developed by the Property Council and Clean Energy Finance Corporation to give building owners and managers insights into benefits and payback periods of clean energy technologies.

Commercial Strata: Solar PV factsheet

It's time for strata to join the renewable energy transition. Find out how and why installing solar PV is the smart business decision by downloading this factsheet.

Reader's Digest becomes an energy efficient property

Discover how the Reader's Digest Building in Surry Hills has become a 21st century energy efficient property.

Energy in Buildings: 50 Best Practice Initiatives

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation's Energy in Buildings: 50 Best Practice Initiatives.

Financing for on-site renewable energy

Find out about financing options for your on-site renewable energy project.

Direct corporate purchase of renewable energy

The (BRC-A) knowledge bank has a number of guides that have been prepared by industry experts in corporate PPAs and with support from the WWF-Renewable Energy Buyers Forum.

GreenPower - affordable renewable energy

GreenPower is where electricity is purchased on your behalf from a renewable energy generator.

Offset your carbon

Carbon offsetting is an immediate and measurable way for your business to cut emissions.

The Fifth Estate ebook: Renewable Energy

In collaboration with CitySwitch, The Fifth Estate has released a free ebook about renewable energy.

Explainer: Carbon offsets and carbon neutral

Carbon offsetting and carbon neutrality have become powerful and credible choices for organisations that are looking to make considerable reductions in their carbon footprint.

Ray Wilson, CEO of Carbon Neutral, one of our CitySwitch signatories, helps to explain these terms and how to get started on the journey to being carbon neutral.

Metering and tracking energy reduction

Advanced metering technologies can provide more frequent and detailed information on tenant energy use.

Allocating Data Center Energy Costs and Carbon to IT Users

An overview of measuring energy cost and allocate carbon emissions by Schneider Electric. It is both easy and inexpensive for any data center to get started regardless of size or age.

FluoroCycle

Lamp recycling can help reduce the amount of mercury being sent to landfill. FluoroCycle is a voluntary product stewardship scheme that seeks to increase the national recycling rate of waste mercury-containing lamps.

Energy Smart Finance

This equipment leasing program by Low Carbon Australian allows businesses to invest energy efficient technology to future-proof against rising energy costs while reducing carbon emissions. It is operated through accredited vendors.

Reporting on energy savings

Reporting helps recognise the organisation’s achievements and identify the next areas of activity.

The National Carbon Offset Standard

The National Carbon Offset Standard exists to ensure the environmental integrity of the carbon offsets and carbon neutral products available in the Australian voluntary market. It helps consumers to make informed choices and interpret carbon neutral claims.

NSW Energy Saver Program

The Energy Saver program, by NSW Office of Environment and Heritage provides a single point of energy efficiency support for NSW businesses, helping organisations reduce energy consumption and costs. There are subsidies available for action plans and implementation.

Low Carbon Grown Plan for Australia

The Low Carbon Growth Plan by Climate Works uses marginal abatement cost curve to estimate of the realistic volume and costs of opportunities to reduce GHG emissions. It shows how all energy efficiency measures are the lowest cost options for business and the economy.

Certificate schemes for energy efficiency

Victoria and NSW have certificate schemes in place that help fund and incentivise energy savings.

Clean Energy Finance Corporation funding solutions

The energy efficiency investment portfolio and activities of Low Carbon Australia have been transferred to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The CEFC has up to 50 percent of its funds allocated for energy efficiency and low emissions technology

Energy Efficiency Training Program

This NSW Goverment program helps managers and staff to make business operations, products and services more energy efficient and less carbon intensive. Energy efficiency training resources are available for medium and small enterprises and commercial building design, construction an operation.

Selecting efficient equipment

Rating schemes and internet technology can help with purchasing decisions for lower energy solutions.

Financing energy efficient lighting

A range of financing schemes are available to assist with the capital costs, implementation, and installation of energy efficient lighting.

Loans and leases for office energy efficiency

Several financing models can help businesses obtain upfront capital for energy savings that can be paid back over time.

Choosing the most efficient lights

Selecting efficient lighting systems and fixtures is extremely important when seeking to reduce energy use. There are a number of tools and links to get the research right.

Planning for energy savings

An Energy Action Plan identifies options for operational efficiencies and outlines your priorities and investment needs for a tenancy. The Plan spells out what to do to get more out of office equipment and technology, staff behaviours and base building.

Implementing an energy management plan

Typically, a green lease is accompanied by an Energy Management Plan which provides a structure for the lease and instructs how it will be implemented for the duration of the tenancy.

Overview energy efficient lighting

Lighting upgrades are amongst the easiest projects to undertake and can offer very rapid returns on investment. In many instances, immediate savings can be gained by making minor adjustments - you may see even greater returns by engaging a lighting professional.

Energy efficient equipment overview

Equipment efficiency can be improved by upgrading to new models, automation and behaviour change.

Resources

NABERS Essentials - online course