Reduce office emissions

CitySwitch was established as an energy efficiency program for offices in 2005, and over the years evolved to also support businesses to reduce waste and create healthy workplaces. This focus area on the pathway builds on this history as an integral part of the pathway to net zero.

NABERS energy for office tenants is a valuable way to understand how your office energy use compares to others and what you can do about it. CitySwitch businesses get a discount for NABERS ratings. If you aren’t ready for a NABERS rating, there are no-cost actions staff can take to reduce energy use.

Waste is a great entry point to action on climate and sustainability and may be the very place your start in your net zero journey.

Lastly, healthy workplaces support staff and are also known to be resource efficient workplaces.

Key resources

Eliminate single use from business events

Eliminate single use from business events

This factsheet provides you with the alternatives to single use items at business events.

Beyond the Bin worksheet for tenants

Beyond the Bin worksheet for tenants

Download the Beyond the Bin worksheet for tenants.

Eliminate single use takeaway containers

Eliminate single use takeaway containers

This factsheet can give you the alternative options so that you can eliminate single use takeaway containers from your business.

Know your waste streams

Know your waste streams

This factsheet helps you to match your choice of single use items with the waste streams available to your customers. 

Beginner's Guide to Coffee Cups

Beginner's Guide to Coffee Cups

More than three billion disposable coffee cups are produced every year in Australia, with the majority ending up in landfill.

Beginner's Guide to Energy Efficient Lighting

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

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 Healthy Buildings

Beginner's Guide to Healthy Buildings

The CitySwitch Green Office program approaches health and wellness in the office by looking at how the built elements of an office detract or contribute to human health, wellbeing, and productivity, and what we can do to thrive in our offices.

Beginner's Guide to Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

Beginner's Guide to Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

For tenants to improve Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

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CitySwitch Signatory of the Year and New Signatory Awards - category judging criteria

  • Delivering outcomes as demonstrated by an improved or maintained current NABERS Energy rating and achieved energy savings* (up to 28 points)
  • Implementing one or more energy saving initiatives (up to 10 points)
  • Demonstrating leadership by undertaking innovative, creative or progressive office energy efficiency activities (up to 10 points)
  • Engagement of staff/ customers/suppliers and/or stakeholders to educate and create market transformation (up to 10 points)
  • Participation in CitySwitch local program activities (up to 10 points).
Note, new Signatories submitting for New Signatory of the Year Award need only complete an indicative rating – all other submissions must be accredited.

CitySwitch Partnership of the Year Award - category judging criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Submitted projects should:

  • Involve more than one registered company 
  • Demonstrate that they are  innovative and over and above “business as usual”
  • Demonstrate that they catalyse “market transformation” and or “address a market barrier”
  • Deliver a reduction in energy consumption and carbon emissions within the built environment 

Judging Criteria

  • Delivering outcomes as demonstrated by an improved or maintained current NABERS Energy rating and achieved energy savings* (up to 14 points)
  • Implementing one or more energy saving initiatives (up to 10 points)
  • Demonstrating leadership by undertaking innovative, creative or progressive office energy efficiency activities (up to 17 points)
  • Engagement of staff/ customers/suppliers and/or stakeholders to educate and create market transformation (up to 17 points)
  • Participation in CitySwitch local program activities (up to 10 points)
  • The submitting entity MUST be a CitySwitch Signatory
Note, Signatories submitting for the Partnership of the Year Award may submit an accredited NABERS tenancy, whole building or base building rating.

It’s easy and free to join the program. Your good-will commitment to the program is an acknowledgement of the business sector’s role in
contributing to environmental sustainability and your intention to reduce your own energy consumption and associated carbon emissions.

As part of this, Signatories to the program commit to achieve an accredited NABERS Energy tenancy rating (between 4 and 6 stars) and
work with CitySwitch to improve their tenancy’s environmental performance.

Find out more about how obtaining a NABERS Energy rating ensures you can benchmark your performance, better manage your progress
over time and promote your star rating achievement.