July GYB e-newsletter

NEWSLETTER Issue 1 / July 2014

TEAM

GREEN

BUSINESS

Sagicor Bank Alternative Energy Loan Top FIVE Tips for ‘Going Green’ BAMBOO Sustainable building Caribbean Assurance Brokers New Green building

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SAGICOR BANK

Alternative Energy Loan Facility

In recognizing the impact of the high cost of producing traditional energy in Jamaica, Sagicor Bank developed an Alternative Energy Loan product to meet the needs of the increasing number of businesses that are exploring alternative energy sources and are interested in investing in energy-efficient systems. This facility is accessible to both individual and business clients at competitive interest rates and is built around offering flexibility and fast turn-around to the clients, who are then able to access funds for energy projects including installation of solar panels, purchasing energy efficient equipment for businesses or appliances for residential use.

The bank has been proactive in encouraging clients to consider alternative energy solutions and hosted a Real Business Seminar in November 2013 dedicated to sensitizing customers to the range of products and resources available as well as offering expert guidance on energy costs and solutions through its energy partner, Solar Buzz and project financing partner Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ). The bank also participated in the Jamaica Alternative Energy Expo, held in June, 2014, and has worked with the Jamaica Power Company (JPS Co.) to facilitate loans for the Solar Mill product, which is another cost effective alternative energy solution.

In cataloguing the services offered by the bank, Cornella Alladice, Business Banker, noted that Sagicor Bank provides real solutions to their

clients banking and financing needs. Not only does the bank facilitate the growth of Jamaican businesses through financing of their projects, but it supports its customers by providing information on a variety of business issues and challenges in their series of Real Business Real Solutions Seminars.

Customers are encouraged to have an energy audit done which should indicate steps/actions necessary to reduce current energy usage, the customer’s current energy usage, an estimate of the implementation cost and potential savings.

Sagicor Bank has also invested in making itself more energy efficient as a part of its own business operation efficiency. Recognizing the importance of energy conservation and the use of alternative energy, the company contracted suppliers who provided energy conservation technology in the refurbishing of its Hope Road branch.

Sagicor Bank provides a range of personal and business solutions that offer convenience and flexibility to its customers through value-added services, such as Liquidity and Receivables Management and Corporate Credit Solutions.

Sagicor Bank also offers customers access to financing for special projects, lease financing and working capital. Its dedicated team of bankers offer a personalized and efficient banking experience which includes a diverse product suite of personal and business credit solutions to meet their customer’s needs.

5

ECHOS’

TOP

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Recommedations for ‘Going Green’

Many businesses (and persons at home) get confused about how to approach sustainable living or “going green" and end up doing nothing. A sustainable approach to daily activities is actually quite simple - at least to begin with. Richard May, sustainability expert and the CEO of ECHOS Consulting, recommends the following critical steps as the first five on the path to going green.

1. Select a standard

It may sound like we are off the road already, but the idea here is simple. The path to green operations has many roads and proposed possibilities and as with anything else, if you don’t know where you want to go, you will end up anywhere. So, instead of re-inventing the wheel, select a standard or criteria you think you want to achieve so that you have an end-game in mind and before you. This way you have something tangible to share with your team and to pursue jointly.

2. Determine your focus

Most sustainability programs and standards cover a myriad of areas that you can focus on when building your sustainability systems. This can be overwhelming if you approach it by taking everything on all at once. Just like building a house, your program has to be laid one brick at a time. To avoid chasing your tail or running around like a headless chicken, determine exactly where you will focus your attention with your green programs.

Is it with water use? Or energy? Or waste? Or community outreach? Where is your biggest passion and how can you impact it? Start there. Identify the areas you want to focus on and write them down. This is the foundation of your program and defines where you go first, so make sure you figure this one out very soon in the process.

3. Create an action plan

This again may sound cliché and may also sound over-bearing, but having found the standard or criteria you want to pursue and achieve, the next step is to set a Continues on Page 5.

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list of actions that will get you there. Look at it like a shopping list, if you want to stock your house with goodies, you don’t just run out to the supermarket, do you? No, you determine a couple of things first. You may look at what you want in the house, how much it’s going to cost, who is going shopping, how you will get there, and then where you will stock all the things when you get back. Your action list would have effectively helped you to stock the house with goodies you wanted, and helped you to do so with minimal stress. Similarly, an action plan is a simple list of: - things to do - who will do these things - what it takes to get these things done (resources), - and by what time/date these things should be done Once this list is intact, get going. Hint: Do not make it onerous. Your action plan is best with no more than 3 - 5 things to accomplish each month— that’s 36-60 things each year.

4. Arrange follow-ups

Ok, so you have a list of criteria, you have determined where to start, you have sent everyone on their merry way to implement and develop and do. Where does that leave you? Interestingly enough, it can leave you clueless if you don’t call them all together regularly to get updates on where their actions have reached. So, arrange get-together times for updates and brainstorming activities. This keeps the energy of the program alive. Get some outside assistance from experts and environmental organizations (free is always a good place to start). This will keep everyone on track and will add value to the process as you plough ahead.

5. Wrap up and start again Somewhere in the middle of the program you will recognize that your current choice of focal areas have moved from being projects to being regular operating practices. When this happens, have a serious discussion to transition your operational activity to formally include these areas of initial green focus so your operation no longer has green appendages, but rather that your operations become green. That is, the way you operate is the green way. Once this is achieved, go back to step 1 above and determine what next you will focus on. Start there for the next story in your green program.

Some of the things we don’t need to think about too

much today are things like: LED lights. This is a no-brainer! They cost more, up to 10x more, but they use 10x less energy. So as long as you are using lights, change them to LEDs. They’ll pay for themselves most times within a year, and they will last up to 10 years (depending on usage of course).

Outdoor and security lights, kitchen and bathroom lights, public area and office lighting should all be LEDs. Water saving aerators. That little nib on the tip of your pipe that makes the water flow all bubbly. That device is an aerator and can save your water bill by up to 60% from a tap. Need I say more? Make sure all your taps have aerators.

Change your toilets if they are over 10 years old. Toilets should all be low-flush specifications. That means they will use 5 litres or less per flush. Compared to older toilets, this can be as much as a 60% reduction in volume per flush and don’t worry, everything will still disappear.

Look into using waterless urinals as well for men’s rooms. They work.

Inverter air-conditioning units. Air conditioning units that run more than 8 hours per day, should get SERIOUS consideration for replacement. Get a quote from your air conditioning company. Negotiate discounts if possible.

Change the air conditioning units. Your overall electricity bill can shift by as much as 40% - 60% depending on the amount of air conditioning you use in your facility.

Solar PV Technology. Given the high cost of energy today, you should seriously look into offsetting your energy needs with solar power. First, determine what you can save with solar power, then get a few quotes, choose a supplier, install your solar power and enjoy the reduced monthly expenses. Most solar PV systems will pay for themselves within 4.5 years in Jamaica today and systems have even been quoted (and installed) with expected payback under 4 years, however, size has a lot to do with that. Whatever you do, determine what your options are and make a decision and go with it.

With the above tips though, keep one thing in mind.

Your energy providers (lights, solar PV, etc.) all have bills to pay (just like you), don’t waste their time and don’t expect very detailed solutions until you have made your intention serious. It’s all business and we treat the providers with the same respect we would like when they are serving us.

Richard May is the CEO of ECHOS Consulting Limited an energy and sustainability firm providing management systems development and energy solutions services across the Caribbean.

BAMBOO The Once And Future Super-material

WANTED: Developing nation seeks hardy yet renewable "super-material" that can be base of multi-faceted construction business and branch out into other areas of fabrication. Thereby broadening the export base, boosting employment and with minimal environmental impact" Answer: Bamboo Yes, this eye-catching member of the grass family has been thriving since the Cretaceous period (for the paleontological-challenged, that's about 80 million years ago), but has been an important part of the lifestyle and economy of SE Asian nations in particular.

Present Market leader China has developed its bamboo industry into a US$14-billion enterprise, of which US$2-billion worth of products is exported to the West.

That's a lot of grass.

It’s fairly simple to achieve those volumes, given bamboo's growth rates. Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth, with reported growth rates of 250 cm (98 in) in 24 hours. However, the growth rate is dependent on local soil and climatic conditions, as well as species, and a more typical growth rate for many commonly cultivated bamboos in temperate climates is in the range of 3–10 centimeters (1.2–3.9 in) per day during the growing period. Estimates are that there are 47,000 hectares of bamboo presently growing wild in Jamaica and, as Architect Ann Hodges points out, bamboo matures in three or four years, which makes it a significantly more renewable resource than timber.

Conscientious use of these resources, could have a huge payoff for the country, given the versatility, renewability and relative ease of harvest of the plant. Jeffrey Haye, who is supervising the building of a model bamboo house in Denbigh May Pen, points out that in Colombia, they have "bamboo yards with massive stocks just like

any conventional lumber yard you might find here in Jamaica."

Architect Ann Hodges had long been part of a small band of "bamboo advocates" and was keen to explore the possibilities of the material. Why is she and other team members so gung-ho about the grass? "Well for one, it requires less to cool than the block-and-steel that we've become accustomed to, so that's lower costs and less environmental impact," she points out. "It's durable, and can stand up to just about any weather or natural climate event." And, not least of all, it is cheaper. How much? The team doesn't have exact figures, but both estimate that bamboo construction can result in a 30-40% savings over conventional methods.

Given those advantages, it is hard not to see bamboo having a bright future, especially as conventional housing costs are expected to keep rising along with the still largely unmet demand for housing. And the versatile bamboo makes everything from your basic home (or hut or jerk shack to a faculty centre at a University or even a pedestrian bridge) as, Diego Ramiga, the Colombian liaison on the Jamaican project, states is the case in his homeland.

Johnny Hamilton, of the Original Bamboo Factory (OBF) in St Catherine, has been one of those at the forefront of the Jamaican bamboo industry. Lamps, book cases.

Appliance stands as well as a range of beds and other furniture are all part of the OBF repertoire.

On a national scale bamboo manufactured products could include school furniture, including desks and chairs, while bamboo plywood can be used to make doors, skirting and moldings. Jamaica recently became the 38th member of the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR).

Gladstone Rose, chairman of the Bamboo industry

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Advisory Committee at the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), advised that Jamaica’s membership in the international trade body provides the opportunity and the information needed to take the industry beyond the largely informal work presently being done. SpeciďŹ cally, the agency is presently looking to develop bamboo prototypes, which in turn will become plywood, tiles and other ooring, board, knives, and other cutlery, student chairs and other engineered bamboo products.

"Information on 122 Chinese bamboo and rattan products/process standards have been received which will help the BSJ and bamboo products producers rapidly develop Jamaican standards and ultimately create a modern standards-led bamboo products industry," he said.

The BSJ earlier this year was designated by the Ministry of Industry Investment and Commerce to be the focal point for INBAR in Jamaica. "The Government of Jamaica recognizes that bamboo is a valuable renewable resource which grows rapidly and therefore is a good substitute source for wood instead of timber, obtained by cutting down trees which takes on average 40 years to grow to maturity," Rose said.

The Bamboo Industry Advisory Committee, which he heads, was set up by the BSJ to oversee the development of pilot projects, studies and product prototypes.

The Committee also, somewhat controversially, began examining the use of bamboo charcoal - though it insists that the tests it is conducting will involve the heating of bamboo and organic waste in an "oxygen-starved" environment so, in effect, it is cooked, rather than burnt.

The National Housing Trust and the Bureau of Standards Jamaica are among the entities keeping a keen eye on the progress of this project. It is hoped that it will help to break down some of the resistance to widespread use of bamboo in buildings for residential and commercial purposes.

Be that as it may, there is no doubt that this pre-historic grass could shortly be coming to the rescue of both developed and Developing countries as the search for environmentally friendly, renewable and hardy materials continues.

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CARIBBEAN ASSURANCE BROKERS Building

The Path to "Energy Enlightenment"

As impressive as the new office of Caribbean Assurance Brokers Ltd on Old Hope Road looks on the outside, it is the interior that really delivers, particularly to energy conservation interests.

A sunlit foyer topped by a solarium is just the beginning. The office has eight sections (or two sets of quadrants), the boardroom and aforementioned foyer. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the solarium reduces lighting needs during the daytime hours, those lighting requirements being made practical by the use of LED fixtures throughout the building. The innovations continue on the rooftop, which houses a bank of solar panels which power the cooling (AC) systems. The rooftop area doubles as a terrace and lounge from which staff can contemplate the vagaries of life with the hills as one backdrop and the plains falling away to the sea as another. Sounds idyllic, for sure, but as Chairman and CEO, Raymond Walker will tell us those joys have their beginnings in a very practical situation: high electricity costs – in the region of J$600,000 per month had practically been a way of life for the near 10-year old company (they notch their first decade in 2015).

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After a tortuous path in the industry, the principals sought to find premises that would offer comfort, parking and reduced electricity outlay. “Just by chance” through a gentleman who does some work for him, Walker was led to the Old Hope Road building, acquired late 2013 after about a year of negotiations. They then approached the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) for financing on the solar system to help reduce their operational expenses.

Time-wise, the system is still in its infancy, with other installations to be completed. But already, according to Operations & IT Manager, Godfrey Heron, savings are estimated to be in the order of 60%. "It’s worth it," Walker concurs, adding that while the interest rate could be lower with direct lending by DBJ – "it’s still a low interest rate and moratorium from DBJ and an 8-year repayment. All being equal, we're looking at this system to pay for itself within three years."

At their 1st Monday monthly staff meetings – employees were sensitized as to the benefits of the

new system even as they had to contend with less than ideal conditions during the initial installation.

They are now proactive enough to check if rooms are occupied and turn off lights where appropriate.

The Directors recently held a Staff Appreciation Day recently to recognize their patience while the system was getting up to speed.

The Principals sum up the benefits as follows: * Lowers fossil fuel import * Greater aesthetic appeal * Helps to generate employment by freeing up resources Not content to rest on their renewable laurels, the principals are eagerly looking at emerging technologies and the “what’s next”. So, keep your eye on that Old Hope Road space (the parking lot is "grasscrete" allowing for safer water disposal).

Interesting things are happening.

CONTRIBUTORS: Joy Campbell Michael Edwards Richard May Publisher:

Email: info@eccomagazine.com Tel: (876) 378-1257