Sydney’s green CBD (3CBD’s) on world stage

16 May 2007

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP will showcase the City's Green CBD environmental initiative, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from commercial buildings, at the C40 Large Cities Climate Summit in New York this week.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said the summit, involving Mayors from many of the world's largest cities, was a global opportunity to address climate change.

"We will showcase innovative and best practice ideas from around the world, including our Green CBD initiative. This summit is also an opportunity to share information about emerging technologies and pool resources to support the development of a new 'green economy'," Ms Moore said.

"This is probably the biggest gathering of the Mayors of the world's largest cities in history - it's a unique opportunity and the decisions made this week will have a real and lasting practical impact on climate change."

The Green CBD initiative has seen commercial office users introduce a wide range of innovative, energy efficient measures to significantly reduce their impact on the natural environment, save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The following easy to implement measures have resulted in substantially increased energy efficiency and cost savings for participants in the program:

• Lighting upgrades including occupancy sensors, zoning, dimming switches and timers.
• Conversion of desktops to laptops and CRT monitors to flat screen monitors.
• Using energy efficient office equipment.
• Office equipment is turned off each evening and disconnected from the power source.
• Activation of sleep mode on equipment where possible.
• Installation of shading/blinds on windows.
• Installation of 'on demand' hot water heater switches.

"Cities are responsible for most of the world's pollution and emissions - but we also represent the most progressive and informed communities, and our constituencies are demanding action," Ms Moore said.

"The biggest impediment we face is not the lack of new technologies to tackle climate change - it's a lack of political will. This partnership between the world's greatest cities, combined with the support of the Clinton Climate Initiative, offers a real turning point".

Instead of waiting 20 - 50 years for old buildings to be replaced, the Green CBD program delivers greenhouse gas reductions through tenancy fit-outs during lease turnovers which can occur every three years. More than 30 companies including Multiplex, DTZ Australia, Minter Ellison and Westpac, have joined the Green CBD program in Sydney, Parramatta and North Sydney.

Related Resources

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP at the C40 Climate Summit in New York


ANNOUNCEMENTS

• C40 Climate Summit - summary
• C40 Climate Summit - EARTH HOUR PRESENTATION
• Sydney's Green CBD (3CBDs) on world stage
• Earth Hour - Earth Always

• C40 Climate Summit - WATER PANEL PRESENTATION

MULTIMEDIA

Streetfilms video
Lord Mayor Clover Moore of Sydney and Copenhagen's Mayor of the Technical & Environmental Administration Klaus Bondam in New York

IMAGES


Clover Moore and Bill Clinton.jpg (2MB)
Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP and former US President Bill Clinton at the C40 Climate Summit in New York