Sustainability

LPW Plumbing & Gas Solutions

LPW Plumbing & Gas Solutions’ work on a smart home in Hawthorne

Protecting tomorrow

With World Earth Day on 22 April, we look at how Queensland plumbing and gas businesses can do their bit to protect tomorrow, today.

A growing number of organisations are integrating sustainability into their business strategy—realising they can do well by doing good.

Queensland plumbing and gas businesses have been showcasing this through award winning projects, many of which were celebrated at the 2021 Plumbing and Gas Industry Awards.

Accuplumb won the 2021 QLeave Commercial and Industrial Technical Award for the install of a specified vacuum drainage system at Spicers Eco Camps. The project design requirements included limited water usage for all amenities as the site generated its own power and water supplies due to its remote location. The site location was rugged and challenging and required innovative sanitary solutions that used little water because of the environmental limitations. This project

required Accuplumb to employ multiple innovations in plumbing and focus on sustainability and the environment. LPW Plumbing & Gas Solutions won the 2021 Domestic and Residential Technical Award when they undertook the plumbing work at a domestic residence in Hawthorne, designed by Renee Dunn Architects, that resulted in a large scale, high end smart home that operates efficiently and effectively. Requiring the finest level of attention to detail and execution across all aspects of plumbing, drainage and gas, LPW Plumbing and Gas delivered an innovative sanitary drainage pumpwell and pump to overcome non favourable access to gravity feed, a 1,500L stormwater pump station, 6-star gas continuous flow hot water units throughout and a commercial gas meter to accommodate high gas loading. Origin Energy was engaged to upgrade the burners and control system at the Australian Professional Galvanisers facility in Stuart, Townsville, which Accuplumb won them the 2021 Elgas Gas Project of the Year. This project included installing, adapting, and commissioning the entire combustion and control system for a new galvanising kettle. The combustion system is the first of its kind in Australia and is more efficient than existing designs, maximising the kettle life from a current 10-year lifespan to 15 years. The 2021 AHSCA Hydraulic Consultant Design of the Year recipient was MRP Hydraulic & Fire Services Consultants Pty Ltd for their work on the Ipswich Civic Centre Precinct. Ipswich Civic Centre Precinct is a purpose designed council office building and council chambers with an integrated, environmentally rated development with both a 5 Star Green Star and 5 Star NABERS rating. This once-in-a generation redevelopment has been a longterm vision for Ipswich City Council that incorporates the areas surrounding this building and provides a thriving new area for the community with a cultural precinct that is described as ‘the new city heart’. In addition to the environmental design targets, this project also included natural disaster mitigation to ensure suitable long-term accommodation for the council and other government agencies during and after natural disasters.

Accuplumb’s work at Spicers Eco Camps

Today

MRP Hydraulic & Fire Services Consultants

MRP Hydraulic & Fire Services Consultants’ work on the Ipswich Civic Centre Precinct Origin Energy

Origin Energy’s work at the Australian Professional Galvanisers facility in Stuart

What Does Sustainability Mean in Business?

In business, sustainability refers to doing business without negatively impacting the environment, community, or society as a whole.

Sustainability in business generally addresses two main categories: • The effect business has on the environment • The effect business has on society

The goal of a sustainable business strategy is to make a positive impact on at least one of those areas. When companies fail to assume responsibility, the opposite can happen, leading to issues like environmental degradation, inequality, and social injustice.

Sustainable businesses consider a wide array of environmental, economic, and social factors when making business decisions. These organisations monitor the impact of their operations to ensure that shortterm profits don’t turn into long-term liabilities1 .

Why is Sustainability Important?

The theme this World Earth Day is “Invest in Our Planet”. Now is the time for the unstoppable courage to preserve and protect our health, our families, our livelihoods... together, we must invest in our planet because a green future is a prosperous future2 .

In addition to driving social and environmental change, sustainability initiatives can contribute to an organisation’s overall success. It may seem counterintuitive that spending more money on sustainable business practices can boost a company’s profitability, but studies show that the most sustainable companies are also the most profitable. While sustainability strategies might be an investment in the short term, they can lead to longterm benefits3 .

How can the Plumbing Industry Contribute to Sustainability?

1. Relying on renewable energy sources to power facilities 2. Reducing water waste and stopping leaks 3. Using quality products 4. Using sustainable materials in the manufacturing process 5. Installing solar hot water systems 6. Optimising supply chains to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 7. Installing rainwater tanks to reuse and recycle water 8. Utilise industry recycling initiatives

1 https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-sustainability-in-business 2 https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2022/ 3 https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/business-sustainability-strategies

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CONSTRUCTION PLASTICS RECYCLING SCHEME

In November 2021, Master Plumbers’ Association Queensland (MPAQ) and Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia (PIPA), in conjunction with Vinidex, Iplex, Tradelink, and Reece, with support from the Queensland Government, joined forces to launch the Construction Plastics Recycling Scheme pilot to contribute to a responsible and sustainable future.

The Construction Plastics Recycling Scheme is working collaboratively with industry over a six-month period, with collection bins located on multiple sites, providing alternative outlets for PVC off-cuts to be discarded. The off-cuts collected in these bins over this period will be audited and the data recorded to understand the volume of available PVC off-cuts.

The bins are currently located on the following sites: • Brisbane Queens Wharf Development (Towers 1 and 2) • Gold Coast Star Casino Development • Woolloongabba Tradelink Store • Labrador Reece Plumbing Store • Beenleigh Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre • Prominence Outlook Pallara • Caboolture Hospital Redevelopment

PVC offcuts at Tradelink Woolloongabba site (above) and Reece Labrador site (right), February 2022

Despite getting off to a slow start due to wet weather at the end of 2021 and the holiday season, the Scheme has started to take off in the last couple of months, and it’s seen some positive signs with full bins being collected from most sites. Reece and Tradelink have reported positive feedback from customers visiting their stores, which is expected to increase as more companies become aware of the Scheme.

If you would like more information about the Construction Plastics Recycling Scheme, visit www.mpaq.com.au/pvc or call 07 3273 0800.

WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE MY SMALL BUSINESS MORE SUSTAINABLE?

There are many ways to make your business more sustainable. Below are some top tips for your small business4 .

1Reduce meeting costs: make a phone call instead of holding a meeting, send an email rather than posting, conduct virtual meetings to save the cost of making business trips.

2Minimise using materials: archive computer files rather than print files, advertise on your website rather than in brochures, email your promotional material rather than posting it.

3Reduce waste: re-use old envelopes, have staff use their own mugs, get printer cartridges refilled not replaced and buy recycled stationery supplies.

4Recycle it: recycle everything you can’t reuse – check with the council what they will recycle. Set up recycling bins in locations staff will use them.

5Turn it off: switch off lights, computers, printers, and appliances at the power point when not in use – they will last longer, and your power bills will be considerably reduced.

6Outsource it: reduce your server needs and cut power costs by using cloud computing services (web-based data storage) and use virtual office services or outside contractors rather than expanding office space.

7Reduce it: turn down the air conditioner – lowering the temperature just one degree on a hot day can increase your energy costs by 10 per cent. Reduce energy consumption further by using cut-out switches to cut out standby power usage, installing automatic lighting sensors, having power supplied by green energy providers or choosing hybrid cars for your fleet vehicles. In the office kitchen, reduce water and power consumption by running office dishwashers when full, fixing leaky taps and reducing the hot-water temperature setting.

8Buy green: get some green credentials by setting up a sustainable supply policy and guidelines and send a checklist to your suppliers asking about their sustainable products and services. Ask printers for recycled paper, replace defunct equipment with high-energy efficiency models with a long shelf life.