Best of Sustainability Matters 2012

Toshiba Motor efficiency

costs Energy Saving Peak efficiencies provide maximum energy savings for each output Infinite Customisation Flexibility Extensive range of customisation options

Corrosion Resistant Finish Full paint system and colour flexibility Product Reliability Backed by Toshiba’s Reliable People Toshiba’s great product backing and support

Heavy Duty Construction High grade cast iron frame & cast iron/steel fan & covers

Ex n Option Fully certified as Ex n (non-sparking) for hazardous area application

Low Noise Design Low audible noise in operation

High Efficiency Standards Compliant with MEPS 2006 High Efficiency Standards

TOSHIBA INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION PTY LTD NSW Toshiba International Corporation Pty Ltd 2 Morton Street, Parramatta NSW 2150 Tel: (02) 9768 6600 Fax: (02) 9890 7546

QUEENSLAND Toshiba International Corporation Pty Ltd UNIT 4, 20 Smallwood Place, Murarrie QLD 4172 Tel: (07) 3902 7888 Fax: (07) 3902 7878

VICTORIA Toshiba International Corporation Pty Ltd 411 Ferntree Gully Road, Mt Waverley VIC 3149 Tel: (03) 8541 7960 Fax: (03) 8541 7970

NEWCASTLE Toshiba International Corporation Pty Ltd UNIT 1,18 Kinta Drive, Beresfield NSW 2322 Tel: (02) 4966 8124 Fax: (02) 4966 8147

MACKAY Toshiba International Corporation Pty Ltd 1st Floor 41 Wood Street, Mackay QLD 4740 Tel: (07) 4953 4184 Fax: (07) 4951 4203

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Toshiba International Corporation Pty Ltd 10 Anderson Pl, Perth International Airport WA 6105 Tel: (08) 6272 5600 Fax: (08) 6272 5601

2 1 0 F 2 ASE

O WC O T H S S S E E I D B Welcome to the

STU E S CA

BEST OF 2012 eMag. New publishing technologies now allow us to deliver you specially packaged eMags, featuring selected premium content published during the past 12 months, in one easy to read, share and download digital edition. This issue features your editor’s pick of the best case studies we ran in 2012, and the eMag features live links back to our websites where full contact details (and in many cases links to other, similar items from that company) can be found.

The BEST OF eMag is divided into Topicrelated sections to make it even easier to source the type of content you are most interested in — check out the Contents page for easy reference. It also features a SEARCH function where you can enter any keyword and link straight to the most relevant items in the magazine.

We hope you enjoy this special digital edition of your industry magazine and I am happy to receive your feedback and suggestions for similar case studies that you might find of value to your business.

All the best for a prosperous 2013.

y g r e En 04 y t i l i b a n i a t s u S 20 e t s a W 28 r e t a w e t s Wa 37 r e t a W 42

Geoff Hird Publisher Westwick-Farrow Media ghird@westwick-farrow.com.au

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Thermo-breaking - beyond keeping the weather out

Canberra’s ‘Compass House’, Rudds Consulting Engineers’ two-storey headquarters, is showcasing Europe’s thermally broken aluminium curtainwall system THERM+ by RAICO. This externally glazed aluminium system does much more than simply keeping the weather out.

Employing a fully engineered, EPDMbased double- and triple-sealing solution, the product provides water and dewpoint management, pressure equalisation, reduction of heat transfer, optimised airsealing and noise suppression. The entire system is free from using any siliconebased wet-sealing and is said to remained sealed for life.

Therm+ can achieve effective heat transfer values down to 0.8 W/m 2 /K (Uf-values) for timber, steel and aluminiumbased window framing systems similar to the one at Compass House. This value corresponds to the minimum thermal fenestration performance required by

the European Passivhaus standards.

In addition, the system is airtight, can be used on flat roof sections and barely transmits noise (around 40 dBR with 6-12-6 double-glazing units).

The product has been inherently developed as a structural building element.

Large curtain-wall sections can be joined on the ground and easily tilted up in-situ, speeding up the installation process and negating the need for cranes. The system is strong and versatile - glass weights of up to 600 kg can be supported and glazing and/or architectural cladding elements of between 4 and 64 mm can be employed.

THERM+ also comes with a suite of thermally broken insertion windows and doors (FRAME+).

The curtain-walls are designed to integrate solar technologies, be they building-integrated photovoltaic (BIVP) thin-film glazing units or buildingintegrated solar thermal (BIST) facade collectors. At Compass House, all spandrel-

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glazing units are either 7.1 mm thick BIPV or 40 mm thick BIST units. While the BIPV elements contribute to on-site solar power generation, the water-flown BIST collectors inject solar heat directly into the in-slab space-heating system.

Lou Forner of Rudds Consulting Engineers is very happy about “keeping the weather out and the saved as well as generated dollars” by using RAICO’s thermally broken THERM+ facade solution with integrated solar technologies.

By Dr Andreas Luzzi, CEO LAROS Technologies Laros Technologies Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N398

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Package water and wastewater treatment solutions Package water and sewage treatment solutions for potable water treatment and water recycling applications.

Cost effective, reliable and energy efficient treatment solutions covering the full water management cycle from transport of water to treatment and distribution. Your access to global water solutions expertise backed up with excellent local support from an extensive national branch network. Service and rental options are available.

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Gas powered retrofit improves building efficiency FMSA recently completed an environmental retrofit of its office building in North Melbourne, which included installation of three 85 kW Yanmar gas powered air conditioning systems. This helped to reduce its energy usage and energy costs while improving the efficiency of its building.

FMSA is a Melbourne-based firm offering comprehensive architectural, interior design, urban design and professional construction management services. Its building has three office floors, each approximately 400 square metres, plus a basement car park.

FMSA worked with Greater Pacific Engineering on a design and construct basis. The project incorporated several energy-saving initiatives, such as an environmentally efficient building management system (BMS), in addition to the Yanmar gas powered air conditioning system. The BMS shuts down the air conditioning system when the windows are open.

Michael Fooks, FMSA Director, explained: “The choice of the gas-fired system meant a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions ... while also creating a counter-cyclical effect on peak demand.”

The firm previously used electric air conditioning, so there were no power constraint issues in upgrading to the Yanmar gas powered variable refrigerant flow (VRF) solution. FMSA now saves on energy usage and costs and has added to the quality and efficiency of its building in the long term. Preliminary calculations, such as energy use comparisons and carbon emissions, were undertaken by Umow Lai, a sustainability and engineering services consultancy.

FMSA completed the project with the assistance of the Green Building Fund which is an Australian Government initiative that aims to reduce the impact of Australia’s built environment on

carbon emissions by cutting operational energy usage, focusing on retrofitting existing commercial office buildings.

Accessing the Green Building Fund did not require the project to have a formal NABERS or Green Star rating performed. FMSA was required to model a green building design and show energy cost savings through implementing environmental efficiencies that reduced energy use. Prior to the retrofit, FMSA’s building was assessed and awarded the equivalent of a conventional 2 stars.

Fooks suggested the installation of Yanmar’s gas powered air conditioning units was a major contributor to improving the environmental efficiency of the office building. While no formal NABERS or Green Star rating has been targeted, 5 star modelling has been implemented throughout the building retrofit.

Fooks said the primary reasons for implementing gas powered air conditioning were sustainability factors and improving energy efficiency. “It is worth giving serious consideration to gas-fired climate control, as opposed to more conventional electric systems.

We are certainly pleased with the installers and the result,” Fooks said.

Origin Energy Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N931

6 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

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Shining a light on energy savings In 1994, much of the traditional industrial lighting performed poorly and industry was looking for greater energy efficiency. This is what inspired what was to become EELCO, the Energy Efficient Lighting Company.

“Until recently, Australian industry has been poorly served for energy-efficient lighting when compared with the US and Europe,” said EELCO Managing Director Mathew Fear.

EELCO began manufacturing linear fluorescent lighting systems in Australia to provide a viable, energy-efficient and cost-effective alternative to the ‘energy-hungry’, standard high- and low-bay systems.

Among the many companies that have turned to EELCO for a lighting solution is Adelaidebased auto components manufacturer Hirotec.

Earlier this year, the company management established a priority to minimise energy costs when planning a 5000 m2 extension to The carbon tax was a strong incentive for Hirotec to choose EELCO’s energy efficient lighting its existing facility.

“With the carbon tax just around the corner, One of the few Australian manufacturers of linear fluorescent, there was a strong incentive to look more closely at energy efficiency,” said Facilities & Services Co-ordinator Andrew high- and low-bay lighting, EELCO has undertaken considerable Pearson. “We knew we didn’t want the 400 W metal halide lamps research to produce a range of lighting products that are suited to Australia’s often harsh environment. By selecting technologies from we have in the older section of the building.”

Acting on the advice of its lighting contractor, Hirotec installed the US and Europe and adapting them to Australian conditions, 60 EELCO linear fluorescent high-bay lights, which has resulted EELCO has developed a product range that can be tailored to the in a CO2e emissions reduction of 72.1 tonnes a year and an energy individual needs of client facilities.

Green’s General Foods, known for its cake and pancake mixes, savings of 67,500 kWh annually. Complete return on investment also wanted an energy-efficient alternative to the standard high is expected in around 30 months.

“These are long-lasting, low-maintenance lights, specifically bays, as well as an upgrade of emergency lighting to comply with designed to operate effectively in industrial environments with the Australian Standards AS/NZS 2293.

“Initially, we needed to upgrade emergency lighting in three wide temperature ranges and, at times, high moisture levels,” said Fear. “The lighting systems are adaptable to high- and low-bay warehouses,” said Magdon Ismail, Green’s. “But EELCO came up with a solution that replaced our existing high-bay lighting with environments.”

Not only is the new extension using less energy, it is also lower-wattage lamps and doubled as emergency lighting when providing brighter, better quality light. This, in turn, makes the needed.”

Australian-made EELCO 1848A_4LT5_EM high bays, with working environment easier and safer for staff, particularly night built-in emergency lights, were installed, making an immediate shift workers. and dramatic improvement in both lighting quality and LUX levels.

“They saved us from spending extra on standard emergency lighting that would only be used during a power outage,” said Ismail.

The CO2 emissions reduction is projected to exceed 55 tonnes a year, while electricity cost savings are said to amount to over $10,000 annually. According to EELCO, the retrofit also qualified for certificates under the Energy Savings Scheme (ESS).

“In the majority of large commercial and industrial facilities, our linear fluorescent lighting systems are one of the most viable solutions to cutting lighting and maintenance bills, improving workplace lighting and creating a safer work environment,” Fear said.

EELCO replaced energy hungry high bay lighting with energy efficient lamps that double as emergency lighting at Greens General Foods

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EELCO - Energy Efficient Lighting Company Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q093

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 7

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From agricultural factory to energy producer with biogas

Since 1752, the Wenning family in Germany has run a successful agricultural business and distillery. Thirty years ago, they took the first pioneering steps towards on-site biogas production. Together with the help of Atlas Copco, they now have evolved into an award-winning energy producer, using 50% less power than other, comparable plants.

European targets of 20% of all energy and 10% of all transport fuel should come from renewable sources by 2020 have resulted in many countries rethinking their energy mix. Germany is extensively promoting biogas as an alternative source of

energy. “In comparison with other sources of energy, like electricity for example, the biggest advantage is storability. We can store up to two months’ worth of energy,” says Bernd-Josef Wenning. As biogas is stored in the existing gas network, it doesn’t have to be consumed immediately and no additional investment in the gas grid is required.

In Germany, over 6000 anaerobic digesters convert biomass into raw biogas.

This number is set to more than double over the next 10 years. “The energy cycle is simple: the distillery contributes with residues that feed the bulls,” Wenning

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explains. “The bulls give manure, in return, a raw material for the biogas plant.

The plant delivers gas, which is used to generate electricity and steam. This is a closed loop that really makes sense.

“There are two possibilities to use your biogas: cogeneration and as substitute to natural gas (upgraded biogas). As cogeneration is only effective as a local source of electricity and heat, and is less efficient when the heat is only used at certain times of the year, upgrading the biogas to biomethane offers better opportunities. By 2020, biomethane is expected to provide 10% of Germany’s overall gas demand.

“Biomethane offers a twin benefit: first, we gain energy. Secondly, we avoid energy costs. On the one hand, we obtain gas, energy we can use for all sorts of things.

On the other hand, the output of a biogas plant can be used as fertiliser, reducing the burden on the environment.”

Atlas Copco Compressors Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R546

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Overhaul for ageing wastewater infrastruture

Hybrid power station installed in remote location

Hunter Water began upgrading Burwood Beach WWTP as part of a five-year program that will see approximately $700 million invested in water and wastewater improvement projects across the Hunter and Newcastle area.

By applying new techniques, Schneider Electric was able to deliver an effective migration within the tight time frames specified, without causing any disruption to household services.

The plant’s PLCs were cutover in just five working days, a process which typically takes several months. The success of the project has reduced plant maintenance time, increased reliability and created a platform to monitor and measure energy consumption.

By avoiding the traditional ‘rip and replace’ mentality, Schneider Electric was able to help Hunter Water make best use of its existing infrastructure. The upgrade involved replacing the old SY/MAX Model 450 processor rack and eight of its 14 remote racks, and a Model 50 PLC, with Quantum Unity PLC hardware. The other six SY/MAX racks were retained but are now controlled by the new Quantum PLC using NR&D’s (Niobrara Research & Development, a Schneider Electric Collaborative Automation Partner) SERI-T module, a SY/MAX Ethernet Remote interface that enables better connectivity and information flow.

Commenting on the migration, Mark Mills, Manager Electrical & Mechanical at Hunter Water, explained: “As an operating plant serving a large proportion of Hunter Water customers, it was essential Burwood Beach remained operational throughout the migration process. Schneider Electric’s technical expertise, strong project management and competitive pricing meant that we were able to meet this requirement and ensure the project was completed within the tight eight-week schedule we demanded. The first phase of the migration process was very efficient, taking less than an hour instead of the typical time frame of several days.

“By involving partners such as NR&D and providing a single point of contact, Schneider Electric removed the headaches traditionally associated with projects of this nature. As Schneider Electric’s installed-base services team oversaw the project through every stage, we were confident everything was being done to minimise potential risks of the migration.

“Now we’ve standardised with Schneider Electric product and have the latest infrastructure in place, the plant is far more reliable and any operating problems can be tackled quickly and easily,” said Mills.

AEG Power Solutions’ (AEGPS) New Caledonian ecopx hybrid power station is now fully operational. The complete integrated solution was part of a contract signed with OPT (Office des Postes &Telecommunications) in New Caledonia last year. It combines solar and wind energy with batteries and a genset as emergency back-up. The integrated hybrid system manages the network site power from end to end, providing operating cost reductions, security, reliability and a carbon footprint improvement.

OPT is the local New Caledonia operator which is owned by the local government. In 2010, AEGPS was awarded a contract including DC systems and UPS, the maintenance of several of the operator’s sites, and a new power solution for OPT’s remote wireless station of Cap Sommet, on a mountain near Bourail on the east coast.

As the former installation was powered by two diesel gensets, the operating costs were high due, in part, to the complexity of the maintenance, as the site is only accessible via a cart track or helicopter. To decrease costs and improve the carbon footprint of the installation, the operator was looking for a solution based on renewable energy resources.

AEG Power Solutions’ ecopx Hybrid power solution was a suitable match for this challenge. It combines renewable solar and wind energy with battery storage and, when required, a stand-by diesel generator. It manages the network site power from end to end, from energy generation to energy storage, including load surveillance and remote supervision.

For OPT, the ecopx system installed is a large one. The energy sources comprise a group of solar panels, capable of generating up to 11 kW, and a 5 kW wind turbine, as well as two sets of batteries of 3000 Ah. One diesel genset has been kept as a back-up and is started automatically on demand by the system.

Schneider Electric (Aust) Pty Ltd

Powerbox Australia Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q668

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q318

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December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 9

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Uniting the community under one cool roof

As one of the first buildings in Australia to showcase Colorbond Coolmax steel, Hervey Bay Community Centre successfully combines environmentally sustainable design principles and a pleasing aesthetic.

Its unique ‘island-like’ structure means the building can be viewed from 360° while also making a statement with its thermal efficiency.

Designed by BAC Group Architects, the brief for the building complex was to bring together a range of community benefit programs under the one roof for the first time. As such, the island-like composition represents the coming together of the community service groups to be co-located under the banner of the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre, operating in the new community centre building.

The service groups also needed to retain their individual identities, which are architecturally brought to life by using contrasting visual elevations of materials and colours, such as the use of cladding made from Colorbond steel in the colour Deep Ocean in the profile Lysaght Custom Orb. This ensured that each group could

readily identify with a particular section of the centre. The standout visual feature of the centre is the roofing, made from Colorbond Coolmax steel, as it combines a series of different roofing styles and angles to create a building that is at the forefront of community design.

When considering the choice of building materials available for the centre, BAC Group Architects decided to use roofing from Colorbond Coolmax steel due to its versatility, its aesthetics and its ongoing environmental benefits for the community.

“We needed to create a facility that not only benefited the community, but also the environment where it is located. This meant that roofing made from Colorbond Coolmax steel was the ideal choice as it is strong, durable and can help reduce the ongoing cooling energy costs for the community centre,” said Dennis Beitz, Director of BAC Group Architects.

Studies show that compared to a standard roof made from Colorbond steel in the colour Surfmist, Colorbond Coolmax steel in the colour Whitehaven can lower

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the internal temperature of a non-airconditioned building by approximately 0.5 to 2°C, depending on the building design.

Compared to Zincalume steel, this lowers the internal temperature by approximately 2 to 4°C. The potential increase in natural thermal comfort means that it may reduce annual air-conditioning energy costs for cooling of a building by up to 7.5%.

BlueScope Steel Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q224

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Trigeneration system at university MPower has recently completed the design, supply and installation of a trigeneration plant for the Tyree Energy Technology Building at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). The trigeneration system helped the university to achieve the Six Star Green Star design rating for the building. As the power generation equipment is located on the roof of the building, space plus noise and vibration levels were challenging.

The integration of the trigeneration plant also needed to be considered when sizing the system because it was important to ensure that the most efficient solution was integrated. By

correctly sizing the plant, it not only increased the efficiency of the building but also meant it will be the most cost effective to maintain and will provide years of reliable service.

MPower’s solution was to integrate an 800 kWe MWM gas generator, which drives a single-stage Thermax absorption chiller.

The gas generator is connected to the UNSW ring main system and exports power to the main system when the electrical load is lower than the 800 kWe that the generator can provide, ensuring the system is running at maximum capacity and efficiency.

T h e g a s g e n e r a t o r ’s w a s t e h e a t supplements the building’s hot water boilers during cooler months. When the building requires cooling, the gas generator waste heat is used to drive the absorption chiller, which provides chilled water for the building’s cooling requirements. The result is a building that meets the Six Star Green Star design rating and demonstrates the trigeneration technology working in conjunction with other energy-efficient technologies.

MPower Products Pty Limited Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q980

Using the sun to solve water quality problems When Eurobodalla Shire council was looking to control blue green algae and improve dissolved oxygen and pH levels at Deep Creek Dam they installed five SolarBee long-distance water circulators.

Water is transferred from the Moruya River to Deep Creek Dam for storage, allowing the council to harvest large volumes of water for public supply that would otherwise flow out to sea.

As well as improving oxygen and pH levels, the SolarBees prevent stratification.

The solar-powered circulators use near laminar flow technology that provides high flow, long distance circulation in water reservoirs.

The SolarBee solves water quality problems while providing significant energy savings and reducing the need for toxic chemicals. Replacing the aerators previously used in the dam with the five SolarBees is claimed to have resulted in the council saving 68% of its annual electricity costs. This saving will escalate as power costs continue to rise. The power savings mean, in effect, that the council’s investment in the long distance circulators will be paid off within three years.

Wi t h t h e c i r c u l a t o r s i n s t a l l e d , power costs are eliminated as the machine uses only solar power and requires minimal maintenance and no infrastructure changes.

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Other advantages of using SolarBee technology include: prevents and controls harmful blue green algae blooms; reduces taste and odour problems in drinking water; reduces public health issues, improves aesthetics, water quality and biodiversity; reduces invasive aquatic weed growth; improves fish habitats, prevents fish kills and benefits fish spawning, production and survival; economical for freshwater lakes, reservoirs, wastewater and potable storage tank applications; pumps up to 38,000 L/min distributing water radially in all

directions; constant 24-hour day and night operation using only solar energy; requires no in-lake infrastructure or land-based energy supply; minimal maintenance and 25 year expected operational life; and one large machine can cover up to 14 hectares of water surface area in fresh water applications.

Iguana Water Solutions Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q362

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Cleaner, greener cold storage Responsible businesses looking for ways to reduce their carbon emissions need to ensure that they are best placed to minimise the potential risks while maximising the rewards. One method that can be implemented to lower carbon emissions and reduce energy costs is the installation of a voltage optimisation system.

Powerstar is a triple wound voltage optimisation system that actively reduces a considerable percentage of electrical energy consumption - and Australia’s largest cold-chain logistics service provider has shown just how effective the technology is.

Swire Cold Storage (SCS) has been involved in every aspect of the cold chain for the past 50 years and, as part of its sustainability commitments, the company has invested in a number of solutions across all of its sites to benefit both the environment and business.

Its facility in the Laverton industrial district, which opened in March 2008, handles a variety of frozen foods including vegetables and seafood. As its newest facility, SCS invested in a number of green initiatives at the site. However, despite being recognised as one of the company’s most sustainable facilities, SCS was eager to make the site more energy- and cost-efficient. Recognising

that voltage optimisation could help improve energy efficiency, SCS asked the Powerstar team to complete a site survey to assess whether voltage optimisation could help it realise savings at the Laverton site.

A full site survey was performed to determine the exact electrical loading characteristics of the site’s equipment and, based on the survey, the Powerstar team determined that SCS could achieve substantial savings by implementing voltage optimisation technology. Upon recommendation, a 1000 kVA Powerstar unit was installed.

Doug Hamilton, Powerstar Australia Account Manager, explained why voltage optimisation technology can have a significant impact on energy used: “Due to the statutory electricity supply range for Australia, electricity suppliers are required to provide a voltage level that is between 253 and 216 V. Therefore, the supplier will distribute electricity at 253 V and the voltage will decrease over distance. Given that most electrical

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equipment is designed to work most efficiently at 220 to 230 V, energy consumption will increase if the voltage is supplied at a higher level.”

He added: “By optimising voltage at 220 V through the use of voltage optimisation technology, companies can achieve substantial savings on their electricity bills, extend the life of their equipment and move towards reducing carbon emissions.”

In addition to providing a no-maintenance solution, the Powerstar system supported SCS in reducing its direct electricity consumption by around 13-14% per annum while reducing the company’s CO2 emissions by 490 tonnes. The system also improved power quality at the site, leading to reduced maintenance costs as less demand is placed on electrical equipment.

Sam Czyczelis, SCS General Manager Engineering Services, commented: “Thanks to Powerstar we were able to realise substantial savings. With the voltage level having been specifically adapted to accommodate the exact needs of the Laverton site, the potential for the electrical equipment to fail has also been drastically reduced, thus reducing maintenance costs on major electrical components.”

Added Hamilton: “Powerstar is not an off-the-shelf product but an engineered solution. Every unit is custom built to match building requirements and our project-led approach means that we were able to work with SCS to ensure that the highest possible savings were realised.”

Powerstar Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N603

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Lightning warning system for OH&S McConnell Dowell, an Australian and international engineering, construction, building and maintenance company, is using Campbell Scientific data loggers and sensors within its new weather monitoring and marine navigation system installed at Hay Point in North Queensland. The main purpose of the system is for Operations Health & Safety, ensuring safe working conditions for McConnell Dowell personnel.

Campbell Scientific equipment being used in the system includes three CR800 data loggers, three RIMCO rain gauges, one CS475 radar sensor being used for wave height monitoring, and the Campbell Scientific CS110 and Strike Guard Lightning Warning system.

The lightning warning system provides early warning of the potential for lightning strikes by measuring the local vertical component of the atmospheric electric field at the Earth’s surface. Combined with the Strike Guard optical-coincidence lightning

sensor, which detects actual lightning strikes up to 32 km from the installation site, a decision-making algorithm provides early warning to site operators of the potential for lightning within the vicinity of the construction site. Integrated with the other measured parameters, the data is used to assist in decision making for OH&S. James Palmer, McConnell Dowell’s Radio Communications Marine Navigations and Weather Systems supervisor, said, “The system has been of great benefit and vital importance from a safety and commercial perspective, and the equipment is very specialised for the project we have undertaken.”

Work on interfacing the Campbell Scientific equipment into a complete turnkey solution for McConnell Dowell was undertaken by Marcom Watson, a Launcestonbased company specialising in Marine Electronics and Radio Communications and a recommended Campbell Scientific equipment integrator. Brett Victory, Managing Director of

Marcom Watson, and their senior engineer Colin Kew headed up the system installation in partnership with Palmer.

“Brett Victory and the Marcom Watson team have been fantastic,” said Palmer.

“I could not have asked for a more experienced professional and trustworthy team to work with.”

Dr David Hammond, Application Engineer at Campbell Scientific Australia, said, “It was a pleasure working with Brett and the team at Marcom Watson in delivering state-of-art measurement systems they could interface into their custom-built weather monitoring system for McConnell Dowell. The quality of the final turnkey weather monitoring system provided by Marcom Watson is first class.”

Campbell Scientific Aust Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R243

Hospital to maximise the power of the sun in Hervey Bay ABB has officially signed a contract with Queensland Health to design, supply and install a 266-kilowatt roof-mounted solar panel system at the Hervey Bay Hospital located on the Fraser Coast in Queensland. The system will generate around 385 megawatt-hours of renewable energy each year, saving an estimated $20,000 on electricity costs and reducing carbon emissions by approximately 400 tonnes annually.

The contact was awarded in January 2012, with the $1.3 million project expected to be compete in mid-2012.

ABB’s scope of supply includes the design and installation of a complete photovoltaic (PV) system that will deliver a world-class system for the hospital, enabling the system to operate at high efficiency and maximising the amount of electricity generated. The solar system will be interfaced into the hospital’s existing building management system for control and monitoring purposes, and include an interactive web kiosk and large-screen television in the foyer to display performance data as an education tool for visitors.

“The hospital project is a personal favourite of mine,” said the Hon Stephen Robertson, Queensland Minister for Energy. “The hospital is probably the biggest user of electricity on the Fraser Coast and the environmental savings from this initiative forms an important step in our target of creating a greener, clean energy future for Queenslanders.”

Jason Venning, ABB’s Power Generation Manager in Australia, said, “When complete, this will become the largest rooftop PV system at any hospital in Queensland and will mark a significant milestone for ABB in Australia. The hospital has already reduced its energy consumption significantly by implementing a number of energy-

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efficiency initiatives, and with the addition of the renewable energy from this system, they will become more self-sufficient.

“Drawing from our global expertise in the solar industry gained by our involvement in many of the world’s largest turnkey solar projects and coupled with our innovative technology, enables us to provide a solution which operates at high efficiency, providing a lower cost per kilowatt production.”

ABB will supply solar panels manufactured in Australia by Silex Solar. The system includes electrical meters, low-voltage DC isolation equipment and inverter technology all made by ABB and specifically designed for solar applications. The PVS-300 string inverters will cost-effectively convert the direct current generated by the solar panels into high-quality alternating current, making it available for direct use by the hospital’s electrical system.

ABB Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N365

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 13

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Energy management in the cloud for tenants Le n d Lease Apartm ents’ luxury Convesso Concavo development in Victoria Harbour, Docklands, Melbourne, had to meet a number of design criteria to achieve an industry rating of ‘4 Star Green Star’ for MultiUnit Residential buildings, as defined and audited by the Green Building Council of Australia. Included within the assessment criteria is a need to monitor energy and water use in real time. From the onset, achieving this capability for over 450 apartments was an innovative and technical challenge.

Lend Lease with Fujitsu and Switch Automation were able to integrate new networking, automation and monitoring technologies together to enable a solution that residents could easily use to manage and monitor their own energy usage. The solution was designed to comply with the energy monitoring aspects of the Green Star rating design criteria.

A key project priority was to monitor environmental controls and provide real-time energy usage metrics. Another challenge was to develop a means of using a single high-speed IP fibre cabling network to replace traditional multiple, non-IP copper cabling

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infrastructures. By adopting a cloud-based energy management solution, the design team at Lend Lease now has the potential to collate this data and make ongoing design refinements.

The Switch Automation platform continuously monitors energy and hot and cold water usage and then provides a simpleto-use, in-home display to provide real-time and historical usage and trend data. This provides residents with greater visibility of energy and resource consumption. Within the building, video intercom, security systems and data collection devices also share the same IP network, which improves the flexibility and reliability while reducing the cost of the initial set-up. Because the energy monitoring system uses a cloud-based infrastructure, additional modular functionality can also be added at a later date. This guarantees a system that is ready to meet the needs of evolving technological change. Additionally, Lend Lease is able to track energy and water data use to aid research in how to improve future apartment designs and deliver more efficient performance from buildings.

Lend Lease’s decision to build Convesso Concavo’s communication and control solution around an industry-standard internet protocol (IP)-based network has helped to standardise the method and improve the efficiency of interfacing and integrating systems. Combined with using the Fujitsu Cloud as a systems hosting medium, any limitations on the need for localised or time zone restricted access to the system have been removed.

Extra features and functions can also be added at a later date with minimal effort.

This solution has received a state award in the iAwards for Sustainability and Green IT. Lend Lease Corporation Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q508

14 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

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Brewery opts for cogeneration Simons Green Energy has designed, and is supplying and installing, the 1200 kWe of natural gas fired cogeneration at the soon to be completed Little Creatures Brewery in Geelong. The installation of the cogeneration system will provide a large portion of the brewery’s electricity demands and will use the waste heat generated by the engines to provide hot water for the numerous process heating applications. The units will be configured to run parallel to the grid, meaning that the only energy to be purchased from the grid will be that over and above what the engines can supply, which is expected to be very little.

The Cogeneration Plant to be installed at the brewery is made up of two off-sized units, allowing for greater modulation of output. They consist of an 800 kWe and 400 kWe system, with the reciprocating gas engines supplied by MWM. The cogeneration systems will be supplied as complete factory-tested packaged units; the engine and generator sets housed inside purpose-built containers. The electricity generated is claimed to be cleaner than coal-fired, grid-supplied electricity, thereby allowing for a substantial reduction in carbon emissions.

The hot water to be used for process heating in the brewery will be produced for ‘free’ from the waste heat of the cogeneration plant.

The engineering team from Simons Green Energy is working closely with brewery owner Little Creatures and brewery plant supplier Krones AG to ensure a smooth installation.

In discussing the initiative, Alex Troncoso, Head of Brewing Development for Little Creatures, said: “We knew that we wanted to do something special for this project; in particular, implement an environmental technology that would be a step change for us.

Cogeneration seemed to be a natural fit as breweries have a high thermal energy demand - we knew that we could use the waste heat effectively for a number of applications.”

The brewery will also incorporate other energy-efficient equipment such as energy recovery systems in the brewhouse, as well as extensive use of automation for the cleaning regimes and variable speed drives on motors throughout the process.

Derek Simons, CEO of Simons Green Energy, said: “The cogeneration system to be installed at the Little Creatures Brewery will be a great platform for other breweries and food and beverage manufacturers to follow. The system is technologically advanced and very efficient at about 85% conversion efficiency compared with 30% efficiency for conventional grid-supplied electricity.

“Businesses that are keen to pursue this technology may also be eligible to apply for a government grant under the current AusIndustry Clean Technology Food & Foundries Investment Program. The program is a $200 million competitive, merit-based grants program to support Australian food and foundry manufacturers to maintain competitiveness in a carbon-constrained economy. This program provides grants for investments in energy-efficient capital equipment and low-emission technologies, processes and products.

Cogeneration and trigeneration systems are high on the list of eligible initiatives, under the program’s guidelines.”

The brewery is due to commence production in mid-2013.

Simons Green Energy Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R245

www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 15

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School installs 60 kW solar PV system Autonomous Energy has designed, installed and commissioned a 60 kW Solar PV system at Pymble Ladies’ College. The system was installed in two phases, the first phase (16 kW) was commissioned in July 2011 and the second phase (60 kW) went live in February 2012.

This industrial-sized solar PV system is part of Pymble Ladies’ College’s dedicated Environmental Management Plan and commitment to sustainability. The system comprises 215 W multicrystalline PV solar modules manufactured by Kyocera. The array is mounted on engineered, solar-specific mounting equipment and is connected to SMA three-phase inverters via (USE-2 rated) DC solar cabling. The inverters connect to the electricity network via a solar distribution board and a digital bidirectional CT meter, which enables Pymble Ladies’ College to use the solar electricity first and export any excess electricity produced to the electricity network.

A specialised solar data monitoring system has also been installed, which collects and displays a range of data including solar power output from the inverters, sunlight levels, ambient temperature, cell temperature and much more. This data is presented on a customised Online Web Portal and is used by

staff and students at the college for educational purposes as well as by Autonomous Energy for ongoing system performance monitoring and reporting.

“Pymble Ladies’ College is committed to environmental awareness, sustainability, recycling and carbon emission reduction." said David Sexton, Head of Operational Services, Pymble Ladies’ College. "In partnership with Autonomous Energy, we have commissioned and installed a number of key energy-saving initiatives that includes the largest solar panel system in an Australian school, an upgrade to energy-efficient lighting and the implementation of a comprehensive energy audit program. Pymble’s original plan to install a 16 kW solar system was significantly expanded to 60 kW following the exploration of the wider benefits of the system for the college and its community."

Using CEC guidelines, Autonomous Energy has conservatively estimated that the system will produce approximately 86,403 kW hours pa and reduce GHG emissions by 91,588 kg CO2e pa.

Autonomous Energy Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R537

Green engine for Eagle Street Clarke Energy Australia has recently commissioned a 1 MW GE Jenbacher gas engine which is an integral component of the Trigeneration plant installed at One One One Eagle Street - a 44-level, premium-grade office development in Brisbane’s ‘Golden Triangle’ precinct. One One One Eagle Street has been designed to

achieve a Premium Grade Rating through the Property Council of Australia and is targeting a world-leading 6 Star Green Star Rating and a 5 Star NABERS Energy Rating.

The 1 MWe high-efficiency GE Jenbacher gas engine will supply the building’s base electrical load with the hot water and exhaust gas recovered in a multistage absorption chiller to provide chilled water for the building’s air-conditioning system.

The trigeneration system will also supply the building’s energy needs during grid power failures.

Trigeneration - also known as combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) - has the ability to not only increase energy efficiency but also to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 60% when compared with conventionally generated electricity. The gas engine byproduct, waste heat, will further reduce the CO 2 emission of the building by reducing the requirement to operate conventional boilers and electrical chillers.

By comparison, conventional electricity is generated by inefficient means which

16 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

produce high CO 2 emissions and this, coupled with transmission losses, results in an inefficient source of energy.

Cogeneration/trigeneration has become a popular technology for high energyintensive facilities such as office towers, hospitals, data centres, airports, shopping centres and industrial plants. In the building industry, when targeting Green Start Ratings and NABERS Ratings, most building complexes will engage cogeneration/ trigeneration systems in order to achieve their energy-efficiency target and become more environmentally friendly facilities.

Clarke Energy Australia, as the exclusive distributor of GE Jenbacher gas engines, provides total gas-to-energy solutions ranging from the supply of gas engines through to the full turnkey delivery of gas-fired power stations and cogeneration/ trigeneration plants from 300 kW to 60 MW. Clarke Energy Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q203

www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au

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Energy-savings switch for university Monash University Clayton Campus in Victoria recently conducted a two-month pilot study to determine the financial benefits of installing the Australian-designed EcoSwitch throughout the university’s office workstations. The EcoSwitch is an energysaving device that cuts out standby power used by equipment and appliances.

A statistically representative mix of office staff workstations was selected that typically employed a Compaq desktop or a Dell notebook computer, a monitor and a standard Cisco IP Phone.

Post-installation surveys were conducted after two months in which an 87% average utilisation rate was achieved. With this utilisation rate, based on 12c/kWh, the estimated annual energy savings by installing 1200 EcoSwitches at the university is projected to be around 53 MWh, representing a return on investment in around 18 months.

“Even if we had a utilisation rate of only 50% we would see a return on investment in just 2.7 years, which we are more

than happy with,” said Raqibul Hassan, Office of Environmental Sustainability, Monash University.

Other outcomes from the pilot study were: • An 87% utilisation of the EcoSwitch reduced total energy consumption measured against BAU (business as usual) by around 30%.

• 100% of the study respondents were using the product at least “most days”.

• Feedback responses from the study group were positive and the majority of staff used the EcoSwitch because they held a positive attitude towards its implementation and ability to save power.

Carbon Reduction Industries Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S110

Kyocera supplies solar modules for North Queensland’s largest PV installation Kyocera Solar, a supplier of solar modules and renewable energy solutions, recently supplied 348 kW of solar modules that now cover the roof of the Townsville RSL Stadium in North Queensland. The photovoltaic installation, which will produce approximately 500 MWh of energy annually, is now the largest in North Queensland and will supply the equivalent of two-thirds of the stadium’s energy requirements by utilising the clean, renewable energy of the sun.

Ergon Energy installed the solar system, which will generate about 1400 kWh each day - equivalent to the daily energy requirements of 75 typical North Queensland homes. That amount of clean energy equates to eliminating 460 tonnes of carbon pollution each year or removing approximately 100 cars from the road.

The Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus, opened the Townsville RSL Stadium solar array. “These measures make the most of Australia’s natural resources and help us make the gradual shift to a modern, clean energy economy,” he stated.

The solar-powered stadium is a key component of the federally funded Townsville Solar City program, which is already responsible for installing more than 1 MW of solar energy in the city. The program will help achieve objectives to better manage rising electricity demand in Northern Queensland using environmentally friendly resources.

Townsville Queensland Solar City is one of seven solar cities across Australia and part of the Australian Government’s Solar Cities program that works with all levels of government, industry and community to change the way we think about and use energy.

www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au

“Kyocera is proud to support Ergon, the leader of the Townsville Solar City Program, to help create renewable solar energy that will power the North Queensland region for decades to come,” said Steve Hill, President of Kyocera Solar. “Citizens attending basketball games and other events at Townsville RSL Stadium may enjoy themselves even more knowing that the stadium’s commitment to environmentally friendly renewable energy helps to protect Australia’s natural beauty.”

Kyocera Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R873

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 17

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Managing solar for remote communities

Incorporating a high level of PV power generation into a diesel power station can cause quality-of-supply concerns when the solar power level changes abruptly, such as from passing cloud on a sunny day, as diesel engines require at least a few minutes to adjust to significant power changes on the local grid. There can also be short periods when the level of generated solar power gets close to or exceeds the local community consumption level, or where a power distribution feeder fault occurs, which requires the power output of the solar generating plant to be under direct and immediate control of the power station. Both of these concerns could, if not managed properly, lead to unacceptable levels of electricity voltage and frequency changes or possibly even power station outages due to protection devices tripping.

The Grid Stability System (GSS) from MPower can be used to manage a solar generating plant. The system is designed to minimise power fluctuations from solar generating plants into remote area diesel power stations by incorporating battery storage and control of battery energy to stabilise power production from PV power plants. The same concept could be applied to controlling and compensating for wind farm power variability.

“The system allows larger concentrations of PV to be incorporated as well as lowering the unnecessary cycling of plant due to dips in PV output resulting from intermittent cloud cover.

This development enhances remote areas communities through power consistency, and availability, while also enhancing the cost-effectiveness of their power suppliers,’’ MPower Projects Managing Director Anthony Csillag said. “It’s a winwin situation.’’

Techniques and control systems used for the oil and gas industry, along with specialised battery management for remote area applications, make the GSS a convenient and suitable product for these remote area solar power systems.

The containerised product is the hub of the solar power plant, combining the control and electrical distribution to the photovoltaic modules and solar power inverters as well as the electrical and fibre-optic point of connection to the diesel power station. Automated processes, and remote communications to MPower’s service group, allow the product to operate with minimal local maintenance.

“While the Grid Stability System offers many advantages for remote area power and solar, its full benefits are yet to realised

18 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

and we believe it will have a significant impact on the power industry in the long term,’’ Csillag said.

This impact may soon be seen, as MPower is already working with energy providers to use the GSS as support for the single wire earth return (SWER) networks that form much of rural Australia’s ailing power transmission and distribution system.

“Single wire earth return (SWER) distribution systems have been the traditional means of supplying power to remote areas, with dispersed customers over long distances,’’ Csillag explained.

“It’s estimated that over 190,000 km of SWER networks have been built in Australia in the last 50 years and, due to steady growth in electricity demand and urban encroachment, much of the network is now reaching or exceeding its capacity.

“Upgrading or replacement of the network represents a significant capital cost. It has been estimated, for example, that to replace Victoria’s bare wire rural network alone would cost in the range $12-20 billion, with SWER line upgrades often exceeding $25,000 per customer.’’

MPower Products Pty Limited Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q866

www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au

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Field replaceable sensors including turbidity sensor Ammonium, chloride and nitrate ISE’s Logging from probe or meter (45,000 sample data sets on meter, 12,000 sample data sets on probe) Fully customizable instrument, probe, sensors and measurement specifications Display from 1 to 12 parameters with font dimension adjustment Contextual help screens Auto recognition of all sensors Rugged probe with stainless steel tip has a diameter under 2” for wells and pipes Track measurement locations with 12 channel GPS (HI98290) and embed location with data to view on the display or PC using popular mapping software Fast Tracker™-Tag I.D. System simplifies periodic monitoring Features a built-in barometer for DO concentration compensation Quick or independent sensor calibration feature Measurement check eliminates erroneous readings Logged data can be displayed as graphs and saved as Excel files Graphic LCD with backlight USB for PC connectivity Good Laboratory Practice feature with last five parameter calibrations recorded Meter accepts both alkaline and rechargeable batteries Waterproof protection for meter (IP67) and probes (IP68)

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December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 19

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Carbon offset project for brewed drink company The production of some of Australia’s favourite beverages will become greener thanks to a partnership between CO2 Australia and the brewers of the famous Bundaberg Ginger Beer, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks.

The two companies, with the support of the Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI), have established a carbon offset project at Moura, Queensland, 300 kilometres west of Bundaberg.

The project will allow Bundaberg Brewed Drinks to reduce its carbon footprint and provide additional environmental benefits to the landscape.

The project will be established and managed by CO2 Australia.

“This is a very exciting project for CO2 Australia, as it allows for the ongoing

diversification of the range of forest carbon projects that we are offering and the range of landscapes over which we can offer them,” said Andrew Grant, Chief Executive Officer of CO2 Group.

“At Bundaberg Brewed Drinks we pride ourselves on supporting the community and partnering with local suppliers wherever we can to deliver the finest

brewed beverages,” said Bundaberg Brewed Drinks Chief Executive Officer John McLean.

“We are proud to now invest in a forest that offsets carbon and creates habitat for native wildlife. As a family company, we understand the need to reduce our carbon footprint for the benefit of future generations,” said McLean.

The project has the support of DEEDI which has provided expert advice, as well as key resources including seed from elite provenances for the planting. On top of reducing greenhouse emissions, the project will be used as a resource for research and development activities over coming decades.

CO2 Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N954

Sydney retrofit Grade B building ahead of the curve

Local Government Super (LGS) has announced one of its upgraded commercial properties has been awarded a 5.5 star NABERS rating (without factoring in its use of Green Power) and is now one of the lowest energy-intensity office buildings in any Australian CBD.

The 10-storey, 20-year-old building at 120 Sussex Street in Sydney’s CBD underwent an upgrade in 2010. The sustainability development project was designed to improve waste, energy and water efficiencies, and resulted in a reduction in the building’s energy use by 54% and water consumption by 46%.

LGS also embarked on a study at four of its buildings including Sussex Street to measure the link between base building sustainability and the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), and the financial benefit of the improvements to tenants. Independent consultants CETEC were commissioned to measure the IEQ before and after the upgrade, and found that: average tenant satisfaction rose from 66 to 82% after the base building upgrade; and the improved IEQ, including better air quality, thermal comfort and lighting, gave tenants an average financial benefit of $188 per square metre.

LGS CEO Peter Lambert said: “In order to get consistently good returns for LGS members, we must keep tenants happy and our buildings full.

20 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

It is important to note this upgrade was to base building aspects of the site only; however, the resulting increase in tenant satisfaction was strong. We were pleased with the scale of the improvement to the building’s productivity.”

LGS tenants backed up the LGS/CETEC study. Alon Bernstein, CFO of recruitment agency, Xpand Group, said: “There has been a noticeable improvement in our working environment and this, in turn, has meant better employee satisfaction.”

Chris Probert, Financial Director at Informa Australia, said: “The lighting upgrade has contributed to our staff’s comfort and productivity, and it’s good to know we are running on 100% accredited Green Power.”

LGS now plans to widen the CETEC study to regularly measure the indoor environment quality of other buildings in its property portfolio.

NABERS Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N392

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Optimising energy at wastewater plant in South Australia The Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is claimed to be the largest wastewater treatment plant in the Adelaide region, processing almost 70% of Adelaide’s metropolitan wastewater.

The South Australian Government has approved a $25.8 million project for SA Water to optimise the energy utilisation on the site. This project will provide a major upgrade to the WWTP power supply by the installation of on-site electricity generation fuelled with the digester gas produced during the treatment plant process. The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and support for renewable energy projects are aligned with the state’s strategic plan.

Clarke Energy Australia was awarded the contract to design and construct the turnkey gas to power cogeneration plant using GE Jenbacher gas engines and to fully integrate the electricity generated into the existing electrical infrastructure.

Clarke Energy’s cogeneration power plant design provides three GE Jenbacher high electrical efficient dual-fuel gas engines installed inside the existing power house, each producing 2.4 MWe. The gas engines will operate either solely on digester gas or a blended mix with natural gas during times of low digester gas production. The gas engines will also produce hot water to supply the heat to the plant digesters that is necessary to sustain

www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au

the treatment process. The low-carbon emission electricity generated will result in a significant reduction in site greenhouse gas emissions of more than 11,000 tonnes per annum.

The project is due to be commissioned in July 2013 and handed over to the facility’s operations and maintenance alliance contractor, Allwater. Once completed, the plant will generate up to 85% of the plant’s annual electricity demand. This means annual electricity savings of $1.3 million with a capital payback period estimated at eight years. Additionally, it is estimated electricity market revenue of $0.7 million per annum will be earned and approximately $0.9 million worth of additional Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) will be created.

Clarke Energy’s Managing Director, Greg Columbus, said: “As a local South Australian-based business, we are proud to be working with SA Water bringing some international knowledge and classleading technology to South Australia for this Bolivar project.

Projects such as this typify the added value Clarke Energy brings to the GE Jenbacher product ensuring a sustainable long-term solution for our customers long after the installation is completed.”

Clarke Energy Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R340

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 21

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Castle Hill RSL Club cuts carbon footprint with cogeneration On 15 September 2011, Castle Hill RSL Club’s C2K Aquatic Centre turned on a new source of electricity and heat in order to improve energy efficiency while reducing its energy costs and its carbon footprint. After just five months of operation, the results prove that the cogeneration system designed and installed by Simons Green Energy has significantly reduced energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

The cogeneration plant supplies 70% of the building’s electricity demand and provides the hot water required for the complex’s four swimming pools, showers and other domestic hot water needs. The system comprises a 142 kilowatt (kWe) reciprocating gas engine, a series of heat exchangers and a hot water storage tank. It is combined heat and power (CHP) technology that converts natural gas into on-site electricity and captures the waste heat from the engine to provide the ‘free’ heat.

Considering the growing concern about sustainability and the increasing energy prices, Castle Hill RSL identified the need to reduce its energy expenditure and carbon footprint as part of its strategic support for environmental sustainability practices.

Obviously, these initiatives also had to ensure the reliable availability of electricity for the Fitness and Aquatic Centre.

After a period of initial investigation, analysis and technical advice, the engineering team at Simons Green Energy worked closely with the club’s facilities management team to ensure a smooth installation of the unit. Its performance and energy usage have been constantly monitored since the installation was completed in September 2011.

The first figures available from the electricity analysis prove that the cogeneration system has reduced the greenhouse gas emissions from 164 to 104 tonnes per month. This shows that the cogeneration system is performing as expected, with an estimated

22 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

annual reduction of greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to planting 3500 trees.

The club’s energy savings have ranged from $5400 to $7150 per month, resulting in an average monthly saving of approximately $6400. This implies a return on investment of around 15% per annum, and with the plant anticipated to operate for up to 25 years, this represents an outstanding long-term investment for the club.

There is also potential for more savings as grid-based electricity prices rise rapidly over the next several years.

Castle Hills RSL sees the additional benefits of its cogeneration system as: • Waste heat, obtained for ‘free’ from the unit, is now used for pool heating and domestic hot water.

• G reenhouse gas emission reductions are equivalent to planting about 1445 trees.

• Overall energy efficiency is now around 85% compared to the 25-30% for conventional grid-supplied electricity.

• Energy costs have been dramatically reduced.

When asked about the significance of this project to Castle Hill RSL Club, Facility Manager Alan Depaoli said, “With several months of reliable and low-cost operation, I am convinced that this has been an outstanding investment for the club.”

Derek Simons, CEO of Simons Green Energy, added, “Together, Simons Green Energy and Castle Hill RSL have successfully implemented a sustainable and cost-efficient energy system, setting a benchmark for the club industry and demonstrating its application for other similar sites throughout NSW and Australia.”

Simons Green Energy Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q310

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Green roof for desal plant in Victoria

Sika has provided the green roof waterproofing membrane for one of Australia’s largest desalination plant in Wonthaggi, Victoria, which commenced production of drinking water in September this year.

The green roof, covering a total area of 26,000 m 2 and incorporating 100,000 plants, is claimed to be the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and forms an important part of the project’s landscape architecture. Providing acoustic protection, corrosion resistance, thermal control and reduced maintenance, the roof uses the Sika Sarnafil system which creates a waterproof barrier for the lightweight, structural ply substrate.

According to Geoff Heard of Fytogreen, the green roof builder and designer, the site and scale of the roof presented a number of challenges. “Weather hampering construction, design modifications to comply with the 1-in-100-year wind storm event for stability and the lack of pre-existing green roof standards for Australia were all major considerations.”

The thin-profile green roof, requiring just a few inches of media, incorporates patterns using a rich tapestry of indigenous vegetation tolerant of high heat, salt drift, drought and wind.

Located in a revegetated coastal park, the desalination plant required a design which made the structure barely visible from all public viewing points. The green roof helps to integrate the building into the environment and enables the continued biodiversity of the site in its regeneration, acoustic moderation and stormwater management.

“The waterproofing membrane had to allow for potential movement from kilometres of joints, for which the Sika Sarnafil ‘G series’ polymeric sheet is ideally suited,” said Heard. “UV resistance was also required for a 25-year life span.

www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au

And compatibility with the electronic ILD (international leak detection) system was paramount to enable quality checks to occur prior to Sika’s handover to Fytogreen and after Fytogreen had completed its construction.”

Faulty seams are a common source of leaks in green roofs.

Some waterproofing membranes use sealants, adhesives or tapes to secure the seams. Sika Sarnafil’s membrane is thermoplastic, meaning seams and flashings are welded together using Sika Sarnafil’s automatic hot-air welder, resulting in one monolithic layer of material that is impervious to moisture infiltration.

“Modern techniques for leak detection and high-quality membranes like Sarnafil significantly reduce the perceived risk associated with green roofs,” added Heard. “Adherence to a wellhoned green roof construction method and ITP check procedure enabled 26,000 square metres of green roof to be installed without one breach of the membrane during the roof garden installation phase, a testament to the membrane quality and Fytogreen’s attention to detail.”

The waterproofing membrane will provide ongoing protection to the structure from the intensely damp environment, allowing for ongoing irrigation and resistance to root penetration.

“Green roofs are becoming a more common and desirable roofing option, turning some of our green-starved cities into an urban oasis,” says Sika project manager Jason Jansz. “As in this case, a green roof can also help to sympathetically integrate a larger structure into a more rural setting and encourage wildlife to flourish.”

Sika Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S109

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 23

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Aged care facility embeds sustainability

Jodie Rutherford is first to recognise the irony. As the Sustainability and Environmental Manager for Baptist Community Services - NSW & ACT (BCS), her ultimate aim is to get sustainability so embedded at BCS that she makes herself redundant.

“We did not know where to start,” says Rutherford. “The catalyst was that we decided our two new developments had to be energy-efficient, with better water and waste management. We then realised we needed to change our whole organisation because we could not have a flagship, stateof-the-art building and pay no attention to sustainability elsewhere.”

BCS used the Sustainability Advantage Program to produce a strategy that covered four different areas of the BCS business people, resources, buildings and supply chain.

The BSC headline goals are ambitious.

It wants to reduce the use of fossil fuels and cut potable water use by 2% a year to 2020; and divert 50% of non-contaminated waste from landfill.

BCS operates many buildings that are over 30 years old. Most have been retrofitted with energy-efficient lighting and electricity submetering to reduce energy consumption. Submetering allows

BSC to use software to measure energy use in individual areas of a building in real time, monitor patterns of consumption and identify areas to improve. This will help BCS set new energy-use-per-day benchmarks. Electricity consumption reports are available on their website, with hourly data, power factor and C02 reporting for all major sites.

Its new building at Kellyville BCS expects to save $500,000 a year, at current energy costs, after investing $4.5 million in a gas-boosted microturbine plant that will provide heating, cooling and hot water, and generate a significant amount of renewable energy.

Elsewhere, BCS has introduced many environmental measures, including new laundry processes to reduce water and power usage; energy-efficient lighting; light sensors in corridors and staff areas; water-efficient tap ware and toilets; rainwater tanks; solar hot water systems; and power factor correction to reduce energy demand.

The further BCS looked, the more changes it made. The organisation reduced travel by using web conferencing.

Replacing face-to-face meetings has minimised air and road travel, especially in regional areas. This improves work-life

24 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

balance for staff and cuts accommodation and travel costs. BCS also changed its company vehicle fleet from six-cylinder to more fuel-efficient two-cylinder cars.

While revamping business practices was relatively straightforward for BCS, helping its community clients, who live in their own homes, was more difficult. BCS field workers visited people to help them understand how they could save money by being more sustainable at home. BCS extended this outreach to its Food 4 Life program, a network of six shops where clients can buy nutritional food at cheap prices. BCS trained its shop assistants in basic energy and water efficiency so they could advise clients on how to reduce their electricity and water bills.

“Many of our clients are older, disadvantaged and sometimes socially isolated, such as widows or single parents,” says Rutherford. “They are people who sometimes fall through the cracks. For me, these were great projects to work on. Apart from making changes to our organisation, we could help change the lives of people who depend on us.”

Office of Environment and Heritage NSW Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q127

www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au

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Reducing water use at car manufacturing plants When it comes to water, drought and extensive population growth are just two of many challenges in places such as Mexico’s Sonoran Desert, home to Ford’s Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly Plant.

Production at Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly Plant doubled between 2000 and 2010. However, water usage at the plant dropped during the same period by 40%.

“We applied innovative technology to our Hermosillo plant to reduce water consumption, minimise impact on the community and build vehicles in a more sustainable manner,” said Larry Merritt, Manager, Environmental Quality Office.

To reduce water use, a membrane biological reactor - a biological water treatment system - was installed. The complex system is able to make up to 65% of the plant’s wastewater suitable for highquality re-use elsewhere in the facility or for irrigation.

Another approach is to cut the amount of water necessary to complete a task - a strategy afforded by the use of advanced technologies and processes.

“As we invest in new and existing facilities globally, our water strategy prioritises sustainable manufacturing technologies,” said John Fleming, Executive Vice President, Global Manufacturing and Labor Affairs.

“This disciplined approach allows us to make significant progress in water reduction and other environmental efforts over time.”

For example, several of Ford’s engine plants around the world are using Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) machining, also known as dry-machining.

This technology lubricates the cutting tool with a very small amount of oil sprayed directly on the tip in a finely atomised mist, instead of with a large quantity of coolant/ water mixture. The process saves over a million litres of water and oil per year.

By eliminating the coolant/water mixture, dry-machining eliminates the need to treat and dispose of an oily waste stream. It also delivers significant benefits in energy use, waste production, quality, working conditions and costs.

In the US, the dry-machining system has been implemented at Ford’s Livonia Transmission Plant, Van Dyke Transmission Plant and Romeo Engine Plant. Ford also has implemented the system at a number of transmission and engine plants in Europe and applications in other plants around the world currently are being considered.

Ford has already implemented a number of initiatives in Australia to ensure it helps meet the company’s water-saving target locally, including: installation of more than 40 water meters across the Broadmeadows site in Victoria that has enabled the company to obtain detailed site water usage information which is then used to develop targeted conservation plans; and research on identifying the stages of the painting process

where water can be recycled rather than discharged to trade waste.

Before Ford launched the Global Water Management Initiative in 2000, many facilities had little ability to even track water usage. When the initiative started, Ford engineers developed software to predict this usage. Another kind of software was developed to track water use at each facility and generate a monthly report so successes and potential opportunities for improvement could be identified.

Also, water reduction actions are built into Ford’s Environmental Operating System (EOS), which provides a standardised, streamlined approach to meeting all environmental requirements, including sustainability objectives and targets within each of Ford’s plants around the world.

EOS allows Ford to track its plants’ performance of fundamental water reduction actions such as leak identification and repair, and cooling tower optimisation at every manufacturing site worldwide.

Ford’s progress against its water reduction target will be communicated in the company’s annual sustainability report and through participation in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Water Disclosure, which Ford joined in 2010.

Ford Motor Company of Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/M300

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December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 25

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Quarry proves green can be gold A leading Queensland quarry operator has demonstrated that extractive industries and local ecosystems can successfully co-exist, through clever and sustainable practices.

Hanson Australia has been recognised as a leader in the field, collecting the state industry’s environmental innovation award for its site rehabilitation program at Wolffdene Quarry. Under the program, just 20% of this 543 ha site is disturbed at any one time, with continuous replanting underway as work progresses.

As quarry benches drop down to reach their final boundaries, local trees including grevillea, acacia and eucalyptus

varieties, are being planted along the worked out terminal faces. By ensuring that the tree line stays above the working area, Wolffdene has also minimised the visual impact for local residents.

Today wallabies, kangaroos, dingos, frilled-neck lizards, cockatoos and carpet snakes live on the rehabilitated site and local school students regularly visit the quarry to learn about its mining activities and restoration efforts.

Wolffdene quarry manager Reno Fabretto said Hanson had made rehabilitation of the site and restoration of the local ecosystem a priority, and the results spoke for themselves.

“Quarry rehabilitation and environmental protection make good economic sense and we have achieved sustainable, economical and efficient quarry bench rehabilitation as part of our day-to-day activities at the Hanson Wolffdene site,” Fabretto said.

“We were extremely pleased to have our efforts recognised by the industry with the 2011 Cement Concrete and Aggregates Australia - Queensland award for environmental innovation and our rehabilitation program is being rolled at other Hanson sites around the country.”

Fabretto said the quarry has been operating for nearly three decades and injected approximately $13 million each year into the surrounding area, employing 30 local staff, up to 60 drivers and supporting 42 local businesses and consultants.

“It is our aim to continue to support this community and the local environment with a successful operation producing essential resources for the wider region,” he said.

Hanson’s Wolffdene Quarry extracts hard rock, natural gravel and different types of sands for use in construction. It has supplied materials for many major projects in South East Queensland, including the number one runway at the Brisbane Airport, the Gateway Arterial road from Rochedale to the Gateway Bridge, the Gateway extension from Eight Mile Plains to Beaudesert Road, the Ipswich Motorway, the Clem 7 Tunnel and the Airport Tunnel.

Hanson Construction Materials is one of the largest producers of aggregates - crushed rock, sand and gravel - and concrete products in the world. The company employs more than 3000 staff and permanent contractors, nationally, at more than 60 quarries, more than 240 concrete plants and a network of preformed concrete product sites around the country.

Hanson owns approximately 10,000 ha of quarry land in Australia but only uses 1500 for quarrying activities, while the remainder is used for buffers, future reserves or has been rehabilitated.

Hanson Construction Materials Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N963

26 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

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Sustainable resin for inflatable packaging Cardia Bioplastics has been selected as a development partner by US packaging company Sealed Air Corporation. The Melbourne-based company will supply its Biohybrid sustainable resin to produce the film for Sealed Air’s Fill-Air R5 inflatable packaging, ensuring Sealed Air’s environmental commitment to renewable and recycled content, plus reduced, reused and recycled product.

For commercial reasons the financial details of the supply remain confidential; however, the directors of Cardia Bioplastics consider that the supply will materially contribute to Cardia’s sales revenues.

Sealed Air generated revenue of $8.1 billion in 2011, serving customers in 175 countries.

Cardia and Sealed Air have jointly developed the new packaging. The FillAir R5 film is designed for use on the Sealed Air Fill-Air 2000 and Fill-Air Cyclone packaging systems to quickly create airfilled cushions for void-fill applications to protect goods during transport. These systems are fast and easy to operate, delivering air-filled cushions on demand for good protection and efficient void filling while reducing material and shipping costs.

Instead of relying on heavy oils to produce the packaging, Cardia Biohybrid resins combine renewable thermoplastics with polyolefin material to reduce dependence on finite resources and to reduce carbon footprint. The renewable material is derived from corn crop grown for industrial use that will be replenished in the next growing season.

Cardia Bioplastics Managing Director Dr Frank Glatz said that the main design goals were to reduce the need for petroleumbased resins and to maintain the packaging integrity of the FillAir protective void fill cushions. There were two key aspects to the success of this collaborative product development process.

“First, our Cardia Biohybrid resin enabled Sealed Air to reduce their dependency on non-renewable petroleum-based resins by 10%, and the incorporation of 10% pre-consumer recycled content meant that this new film reduced the need for petroleum based resins by 20%, as compared to the Fill-Air Select and Ultra films,” he said.

“The second aspect of Sealed Air’s performance standards presented a greater technical challenge. The Cardia Biohybrid resin had to meet precision performance standards during both the manufacture of the film and later at the point of use, when the film is inflated and used as void fill.”

At the point of use for Sealed Air customers, this sustainable film delivers robust performance in demanding conditions. It must provide high-speed processing on the Sealed Air range of Fill-Air systems and excellent sealability to ensure good air retention, while protecting the packaged goods in transit.

“Working closely with the Sealed Air team, we contributed to making their commitment to the ‘five Rs’ (renewable source, recycled content, reduce material, re-use and recycled) a reality.

www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au

Sealed Air is another example of a major market leader taking the initiative to reduce consumption of virgin petroleum-based resin - in this case by a significant 20%,” said Dr Glatz.

David Weiss, Business Manager for Sealed Air, said: “When it comes to sustainability, we focus on the total life cycle of our products and the products we protect. Our strategy involves understanding the beginning and end of life, in addition to the performance during use. The new Fill-Air R5 film addresses all of these areas.”

The deal follows an announcement by Nestlé in 2011 to use Cardia’s Biohybrid technology with the objective of delivering innovative sustainable and renewable products and packaging solutions that reduce the reliance on oil while maintaining product performance. Sealed Air’s decision to work with Cardia is a further endorsement of this technology.

Cardia Bioplastics Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q054

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 27

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Community solution to tackle e-waste

Australians are among the highest users of new technology in the world. Our love affair with new gadgets is generating a mountain of e-waste each year, to the point that it is one of the fastest growing waste types in the country. The Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that 16 million units reached their end of life in 2007-08, with 88% going to landfill.

Broadly, there are two main methods for diverting e-waste from landfill - electronics can be automatically shredded or manually disassembled. Buyequip supports manual disassembly, saying it provides the best economic and environmental return.

However, the labour-intensive process of dismantling electronics places economic limits on how much material can be recycled. Buyequip has now partnered with prison industries at the Southern Queensland Correctional Centre (SQCC) near Gatton. This partnership is boosting material recovery rates while providing important employment opportunities for prisoners.

Buyequip transports e-waste to the prison to be dismantled before the components are sent to downstream processors who recover recyclable materials such as plastics, aluminium and copper. The partnership is nearly as old as the prison, which is operated by Serco and opened in January.

In just a short time, the partnership has diverted an estimated 23 tonnes of e-waste from landfill.

Buyequip director Brett Hyde said Serco’s ecofriendly philosophy and public-service ethos aligned with his own company’s goals of environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

“E-waste is a huge problem and while there is no magic bullet, partnerships such as this one with Serco are another step in coming up with a community-wide solution,” he said.

“By partnering with Serco we are helping to solve the problems created by thousands of dumped computers and televisions while equipping prisoners with the skills required to hold down a job on their release.”

Both organisations benefit from the partnership because Buyequip employs a labour-intensive process and the industries program engages in labour-intensive tasks.

Prisoner demand for places in the industries program usually outstrips supply, which is why Serco favours labour-intensive work that gives the prisoners a better chance to participate. Hyde said although the extra material recovered by prison industries had marginal economic value, the real benefit was the saving to the community from diverting the waste from landfill.

SQCC Assistant Director of Business and Finance Jeff Ticehurst said for many prisoners, the industries program was their first taste of full-time paid employment.

“Industries’ main goal is rehabilitation, as exposure to a work environment builds

28 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

the prisoners’ self-confidence and prepares them for a productive working life on their release,” said Ticehurst.

“To make it real we have to work in a commercial environment and to do that we partner with business. The fact Buyeuip shares our own values on community and environmental responsibility makes the partnership a natural fit.”

Both Buyequip and Serco can see the potential to build on the partnership they’ve forged. Serco is a registered training organisation and Ticehurst said it would make sense to introduce a Certificate II in Waste Management to complement the work the prisoners were doing.

Hyde said government action and changing technology would drive jobs growth in the e-waste sector over the next decade.

“New legislation requires manufacturers to take responsibility for their products at the end of their life, there are more electronic devices in the home, and the country is switching from analog to digital television. Recycling this e-waste will require an army of workers,” he said.

Buyequip Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R536

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Organic waste from Adelaide Oval gets a new life Food scraps and organic waste from on-site food preparation and catering areas at the Adelaide Oval will find a new use as nutrient-rich compost, thanks to a closed system recycling program supported by BASF. The program, a cooperative effort between BASF, Compost Australia and BiobiN Technologies, is an innovative approach to resource recovery and the first of its kind at Australia’s iconic Adelaide Oval. In February, during the Commonwealth Bank One Day International Cricket Series, food and other organic waste was collected using certified compostable bags made from BASF Ecoflex.

These bags, certified to the Australian Standard AS 4736 for biodegradable plastics and the source separated waste they contain, were taken away and delivered to an industrial composting site, processed, then re-used by farmers as nutrientrich compost.

The use of BASF’s biodegradable bin liners made with Ecoflex will contribute to the success of the composting and recycling efforts by removing potential sources of contamination and making collection cleaner, hygienic and more efficient.

BASF has already been involved in several trials worldwide to demonstrate the potential of composting as a feasible and effective waste management option for organic waste. In 2011, BASF, Woolworths, Zero Waste Australia and the Murrumbidgee Shire Council entered into a partnership for the Cooperation of Organics Out of Landfill (COOL) project. The COOL project demonstrated that certified compostable bags made of Ecoflex are biodegradable, as well as providing proof of concept for composting of organic waste at an agricultural level as well as a low-cost option for composting by local councils, managers and households.

BASF Australia Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/M814

Glass recycling behind the bar Bar staff know that empty bottles are noisy, bulky and hard to handle behind the service area.

BottleCycler provides a solution which quietly reduces glass bulk by 80% and deposits the crushed glass into a sturdy Sulo 60 L compact wheelie bin for collection and recycling.

The BottleCycler unit is so quiet it can be installed behind the bar or service area for on-the-spot crushing of empty bottles. There is no double handling nor any need to sort glass types or remove corks, caps, straws or slices of lemon. The bar staff simply place the empties straight into the BottleCycler unit which can crush up to 100 bottles per minute.

BottleCycler uses the Sulo 60 L compact wheelie bin in the base of its crushing unit where it can collect up to the equivalent of 300 crushed beer stubbies. The bin has been designed and manufactured in Australia to the highest quality standards and tested in this specific hospitality application.

The BottleCycler unit eliminates the need for multiple bottle bins behind the bar and the OHS issues associated with lifting them. When full, the bin can be easily wheeled into any small storage space for collection and recycling by BottleCycler.

80% of the glass crushed in the unit is recycled. In addition, by reducing the bulk volume of empty bottles into crushed glass, it is reducing the frequency of collections. Every Sulo 60 L bin full of crushed glass is said to save 34 kg of CO2 emissions.

The BottleCycler unit is offered as a full-service solution and has already been used behind the bar in more than 400 applications.

www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au

Sulo MGB Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N334

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 29

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Public space recycling is important Today’s waste diversion solutions can actually complement a public space, whether at an airport terminal or a five-star foyer, so in the context of increasing land fill rates in Australia, it’s imperative that such solutions are increasingly available.

Australia has a strong dependence on landfill as a form of waste management, with the majority of non-recycled or re-used waste being disposed of in the nation’s landfills. This is a cause for concern with landfill impacting on the air, water and land quality, through the production of gases, including methane, and leachate which can contaminate nearby surface and ground water.

Unfortunately, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the volume of waste deposited to landfill is actually increasing by close to 2% a year. This increase in waste generation is linked primarily to economic development, and it should be used as a call to action for the community to look for ways to increase diversion across all environments.

In the home, as local council waste practices have improved, recycling activities are increasing with over 90% of Australian household confirming that they practise some form of waste recycling.

In the workplace, source separation is also becoming the norm, with businesses investing in new waste infrastructure in a drive to increase their sustainable work practices and minimise their waste collection costs.

However, the challenge of increasing landfill in Australia requires waste recovery solutions in every environment, and increasingly members of the community are demanding the ability to divert waste from landfill in the public space.

Source Separation Systems develops creative solutions to meet waste challenges in any environment and complement the public space. Its Maxisort bins provide an expandable recycling solution for festivals and events. Other solutions include retrofit waste diversion systems in airport terminals and designs which complement five-star foyers. Recycling solutions can be retrofitted to existing single waste steam recycling receptacles in shopping centres and compostable solutions to support animal waste in public parks.

Source Separation Systems Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S104

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Automated brick production line provides greater efficiency ABB has delivered four IRB 660 palletising robots to the Datong Coal Mine Group, China, to be used in the Tashan coal mine. Supported by brick machinery components from Shandong GONGLI, the ABB robots will play a key role in producing bricks primarily for adobe palletising.

This application is claimed to be the first of its kind in China, making it a model in the National Circular Economy initiative. The Chinese ‘circular economy’ initiative is a Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) program that strives to meet these challenges through cleaner production, industrial ecology and lifecycle management. The palletising application within the coal industry is setting an example to China’s brick production industry to explore alternate sustainable production models.

In the process of coal mining, the extraction process produces waste materials and rock. This waste is then re-used by coal mines to make bricks. Four ABB IRB 660 robots have been applied to the brick production lines of Tashan coal mine. They are responsible for palletising the adobe and putting it into the brick kiln, a task that had previously been handled by manual workers.

Dr Chun-yuan Gu, Head of Discrete Automation and Motion division, ABB North Asia and China, said, “ABB closely cooperates with its Chinese customers to provide customised robotics solutions to address local demands. We are happy to supply China’s first adobe palletising robotic solution to Datong Coal Mine Group. The solution will fill the gap in China and create a good model for other similar applications in the industry.”

After introducing the ABB robots, the palletising accuracy has greatly improved. The orderly placement of adobes in the brick kiln has been ensured, increasing product quality. It allows the flexibility to change the types of bricks, the production pace, product code and the kiln. In addition, ABB robots can operate in high temperatures and harsh environments.

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The ABB IRB 660 is well-suited for material handling and palletising. With a payload of up to 250 kg, this 4-axis robot has a reach of 3.15 m. A single IRB 660 unit equals and is claimed to deliver over 30% more operational precision compared to the industry average.

ABB Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R631

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Getting it sorted

Recycling should be a whole lot easier than it is. After all, we go to great lengths to extract impure raw materials then invest large amounts of energy in purifying and processing them and turning them into useful products.

The problem is, we then have the habit of taking those purified materials - the polyethylene in a plastic milk bottle for instance, or the copper in a phone charger - and mixing them up with a whole lot of other stuff when we throw them away.

Why do we ‘devalue’ our discarded plastics and metals to such a degree? There are many reasons, but one of the main ones is that it is simply the most convenient thing to do.

We’ve come a long way from the early days of kerbside recycling, when paper, tin cans and glass were collected separately.

Now our recycling bins accept a wide range of different materials. This provides the convenience factor that has lifted the recycling rate, but also created twin challenges for the people in the materials recovery game: how to handle the mix of materials and how to handle the volume of materials?

This is where smart technology steps in. The UniSort line of sorting machines developed by RTT Steinert uses a range of detection and separation technologies to automatically sort waste at different points along the recovery and recycling path.

The first pass is usually through a UniSort PR machine at a materials recovery facility. This sorts large items such as whole soft drink bottles and achieves a high level of purity. However, it isn’t perfect. The actual bottle may be made

with one type of plastic, and the collar around the neck made from a different, incompatible plastic.

Not to worry. Before plastics can be recycled into new product, they need to be shredded into small pieces. In this process, bottles and collars, or other composite items are reduced to individual flakes of homogenous composition.

This gives the UniSort Flakesorter a chance to work its magic. The UniSort Flakesorter handles particles of plastics, metals and other materials in the range of 5-20 mm, with the composition of each flake being determined using one of two methods. Near infrared (NIR) technology differentiates between a range of plastics including PET, re-granulated PVC, PE, PS or PP. Colour sorting is used to separate aluminium and lead from copper and copper wire. Once identified, each flake is diverted into the appropriate collection bin with a puff of compressed air.

At just 3 m long and with a sensor only 0.75 m wide, the UniSort Flakesorter can handle an incredible 24 million flakes/s.

More importantly, a much higher efficiency and resolution is achievable with this machine. Higher purity makes it easier to incorporate recycled materials into new products and increases their value.

There are many links in a successful recycling chain, and materials sorting is becoming an increasingly important one. By installing UniSort Flakesorters, recycling facilities can increase both their throughput and the purity of their recovered materials, assisting in the creation of higher value recycled products.

Aside from making sound business sense, that has to be good for everyone.

Steinert Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N188

32 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

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Sustainable products key to refurbishment project ResourceCo’s recycled cement has been a key component in the refurbishment of the Civil Contractor’s Federation (CCF) head office and training facility redevelopment.

The CCF SA’s Centre of Excellence is being showcased as a ‘model’ for best practice environmental and sustainable construction initiatives.

The centre of excellence, at Thebarton, is the only dedicated training facility in South Australia offering an experiential, simulated, hands-on safety training environment with a particular focus on safety.

Stakeholders in the project agreed to partnering with KESAB in its Clean Site program, an educational partnership that works with the building and construction industry, training and educational organisations, the Construction Industry Training Board’s registered training organisations, together with state and local government and industry stakeholders.

“The project aim was to ensure positive, long-term environmental improvements

and compliance, enabling enhanced environmental sustainability and workplace practices,” Marie Paterson, CCF SA Acting CEO said.

“We met our key goal for the demolition phase of the project to recycle and re-use as much of the original building materials as possible in the new work.”

KESAB Executive Director John Phillips said the commitment of the partners in the refurbishment was to be commended.

“The project has left a sustainable legacy for the many thousands of students that will be trained within the facility with reduced environmental impact achieved as a result of the project design and a host of environmental benefits,” he said.

“Environmental benefits derived as a result of the project’s involvement with the Clean Site program included a reduction of waste to landfill, local waterways protected from pollution together with litter prevented, particularly focusing on cigarette butts,” he added.

ResourceCo’s Concrete was used in the refurbishment, enabling it to comply with the ResourceCo environmental rating system developed by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA).

ResourceCo is the first company in SA dedicated to maximising the use of recycled aggregates and sands in the supply and manufacture of concrete.

ResourceCo Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q664

Turning food waste into an eco-friendly by-product

Every year, countless thousands of tonnes of food waste are generated by leftover food scraps at cafes, restaurants, fast food businesses and hotels. Then there are the scraps from food preparation as well. A single 300-seat restaurant has to dispose of up to 750 kg per week of food waste. When this is multiplied by the hundreds of food outlets in a city it becomes a mountainous problem to deal with.

The leftover bacon and eggs, lunchtime seafood and salads and evening steaks and veg when dumped in landfill can become a toxic organic waste mix that rots down, producing greenhouse gases as well as leachate to poison water tables.

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Many major national food and beverage outlets and leading event companies, among the biggest producers of leftover waste, now have a cost-effective alternative disposal option available with the environment the winner.

Melbourne-based Eco Guardians has been able to provide a solution using the GaiaRecycle system, a specially designed piece of processing machinery which effectively turns food waste into an ecofriendly soil amendment product. No more long-distance hauling of the waste to expensive landfill sites.

Melbourne Town Hall was the first site to have access to the system. The biomass produced from the Town Hall process is suitable for use on the City of Melbourne’s parks and gardens.

Because the Melbourne Town Hall system is a compact mobile model, Eco Guardians was able to relocate it for four days to the Royal Melbourne Golf Club for The Presidents Cup tournament, turning leftover food scraps from corporate entertainment into a soil amendment that has since been used on the golf course.

Other leading golf courses in Australia are now looking at adopting the system, especially those with major catering facilities.

Paul Moynes of Eco Guardians explained: “Our GaiaRecycle system breaks down and ferments the organic waste, whilst the moisture content is driven off and condensed for draining without any pollution risk. Alternatively, it can be recovered for use as greywater on site.

“Over a period of some hours, the waste volume is reduced by 85 to 90% and, because it is processed at high temperature, it is sterilised; pathogens and seeds are rendered inactive. This biomass is ideal for use as a soil amendment,” he said.

“As smaller GaiaRecycle units are mobile we are able to take the solution to the problem,” Moynes said. “And the Gaia Recycle system is scalable to process from just 15 kg to 100 tonnes of organic waste per day.”

Eco Guardians Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/M555

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 33

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Regional Western Australia introduces state’s first mobile glass crusher

RoeROC (Roe Regional Organisation of Councils) has celebrated the launch of the first mobile glass crusher in Western Australia.

The Komplet MT5000 mobile glass crusher will increase glass recycling rates in the region by processing glass bottles and jars collected from households and businesses in Corrigin, Kulin, Kondinin and Narembeen Councils. The recovered glass (known as RCG) will then be used locally in civil construction applications, diverting around 800 tonnes of glass from landfill annually, or more than 4.5 million stubbies.

The project is a joint initiative funded and supported by the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s Packaging Stewardship Forum (PSF), the Australian Packaging Covenant (APC), the Western Australian Waste Authority and four RoeROC councils including Corrigin, Kulin, Kondinin and Narembeen. All four participating councils have agreed to use RCG in their civil construction applications, thereby creating a local market for the material and reducing the need to mine virgin sand. The Shire of Corrigin will manage the mobile glass crushing on behalf of RoeROC. The mobile glass crusher is one of a number of projects around the nation which will increase the recovery of glass for recycling and ensure sustainable and economically viable

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alternative uses for RCG. RCG can be used for a wide range of civil construction purposes in place of natural sand, such as in asphalt and concrete pavements, kerb and guttering, pole footings, pipe bedding and in road base.

It is safe to handle and has been proved to perform well as an aggregate additive in these applications.

Corrigin Shire CEO Julian Murphy said, “RoeROC has been working cooperatively for a number of years on waste management and recycling.

As a group we are excited about the potential that this new glass crusher provides to reduce the amount of glass going to landfill and convert it to a product we can use in civil works including, footpaths, roads and drainage.”

PSF General Manager Jenny Pickles congratulated RoeROC and its member councils for their enthusiasm and support for this innovative regional recycling initiative.

“The decision by RoeROC and four of its member councils to process and re-use collected glass in local civil construction provides significant opportunities to boost glass recycling rates,” she said.

“Establishing a market for the use of RCG as an alternative to virgin sand in civil construction applications is of particular importance for regional and remote communities in WA (and other areas of Australia) that are challenged by considerable distances and associated costs to get materials to end markets for recycling. The mobile glass crusher provides a means to increase glass recycling in regional areas and reduce costs to local governments.”

“RoeROC and its member councils are worthy of recognition for demonstrating forward thinking and vision in finding an economically viable alternative to sending post-consumer glass to landfill,” said Stan Moore, CEO, Australian Packaging Covenant.

“It is pleasing to see this group of regional Western Australian councils prepared to work with us to increase Australia’s recycling of used consumer glass and contributing to our target of a 70% recycling rate for all packaging by mid-2015.”

Australian Food & Grocery Council Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q298

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Portable device detects soil contamination

Ziltek and CSIRO have announced the commercialisation of a handheld device for the rapid in-field analysis of petroleum contamination in soil.

The RemScan device uses an infrared signal to directly measure petroleum hydrocarbons in soil. The user simply pulls the trigger for a result in 15 seconds.

The traditional method for measuring petroleum contamination involves sending soil samples to a laboratory and waiting several days for the results.

Petroleum contamination is a widespread global issue with recent events like the Gulf of Mexico spill attracting attention from communities concerned about the health and environmental impacts of such spills.

The device allows users to make quicker and smarter clean-up decisions leading to significant cost savings. It also decreases

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the number of samples that require laboratory analysis, resulting in further cost reductions.

“We now have a way to quickly assess the risks at a spill site,” said Ziltek Managing Director Dr Richard Stewart.

A South Australian-based waste remediation company, Ziltek has had significant demand from the mining sector where petroleum spills are costly because they divert resources away from the core business. RemScan allows the emergency response team to quickly delineate the spill and validate the clean-up area with increased certainty - all in the same day.

“An average mid-size remediation firm in Australia will spend around $250,000 on soil petroleum analysis each year,” said Dr Stewart. “RemScan can cut this bill by up to 50%, resulting in an annual cost saving of up to $125,000 per annum.”

According to Dr Mike McLaughlin, Science Fellow with CSIRO Land and Water, it’s a great example of how CSIRO can work with small business to develop a product that will have real benefits for the community.

The technology is the subject of several global patent applications and has been granted full patent status in Australia.

The development of the RemScan was supported through the HazWaste Fund (EPA Victoria), Bio Innovation SA and the Australian Government’s Enterprise Connect - Researchers in Business grant.

The research was supported by CSIRO Land and Water and the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship.

Ziltek Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q734

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Pilot project, with compostable bags for biodegradable waste, successful

Municipal waste management company Berliner Stadtreinigung (BSR) and chemical company BASF have successfully completed a joint pilot project involving the use of organic waste bags made of the biodegradable plastic Ecovio FS. The bio-based bags meet European standard EN 13432 for compostable plastics and, in accordance with the amendment to the German Organic Waste Regulations at the end of 2011, they can be used to collect organic waste.

The bags are intended to make the disposal of biodegradable garbage cleaner, more hygienic and less complicated. Not only do they prevent odours and keep out insects, but this also means that it is no longer necessary to wash and clean the container in which the organic waste is collected. The air-permeable bags ensure that the organic waste dries and smells less than it does in conventional bags. Consequently, the Ecovio bags are easier to handle since they do not have to be taken out of the kitchen every day.

In September 2011, more than 21,000 households in the districts of Prenzlauer Berg and Hellersdorf each received a test package with 10 organic waste bags. Each participating household received the test package with the organic waste bags made of BASF’s biodegradable and compostable plastic Ecovio FS by bulk mail together with information material, free of charge. Moreover, 3700 households in Hellersdorf were additionally given a presorting kitchen container to make it easier to collect organic waste.

The residents were asked to use the bags to collect their organic waste in the following three months.

According to a survey by the University of Mannheim, which had already conducted the analysis of a previous project, almost

36 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

80% of residents in both of these Berlin districts were satisfied or very satisfied with the new organic waste bags. Previously, almost 30% of those surveyed had not regularly separated their organic garbage because of the dirty collecting containers, while 23% had not done so because of the unpleasant odour.

Incorrect disposal, ie, the number of conventional, nonbiodegradable bags that ended up in the organic waste bins, fell sharply during the trial. In Prenzlauer Berg, incorrect disposal fell by 37% and in Hellersdorf by as much as 67%. Meanwhile, the amount of organic waste collected during the project increased by about 10% in the fourth quarter of 2011. This rise ran counter to the normal seasonal trend: during the same time span, the quantity of organic waste in other districts of Berlin fell by 20%.

“For us, it was crucial that the residents accepted the bags, that incorrect disposal decreased and that organic waste collection was more convenient for the residents. A higher level of acceptance for organic waste collection also contributes to increasing the volumes of separated waste,” said Frieder Söling of BSR. The Kanthak & Adam engineering office, a consulting firm for projects involving waste management in Berlin that looked into the quality of the organic waste and of the compost, drew a positive interim balance: “After two-thirds of the composting time, the bags made of Ecovio FS had degraded in the composting plant and did not adversely affect the quality of the compost,” said Manfred Kanthak of Kanthak & Adam.

BASF Australia Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N804

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WASTEWATER

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Wastewater treatment plant flying high at Sydney Airport The region of Sydney has experienced water supply issues that have led to a rise in costs for potable water supplies. This, coupled with environmental concerns, has led the region’s government to implement water quality regulations and drive re-use initiatives.

In order to meet continued pressures being placed on commercial and government organisations to conserve fresh water supplies, Sydney International Airport, Terminal 1 (T1), created an environmental planning strategy to design and construct a water treatment plant in order to recycle its wastewater and reduce its dependency on fresh water.

Housed within an architecturally designed, commercial facility at Sydney International Airport, the Recycled Water Treatment Plant is designed to recycle the airport’s wastewater for non potable use, including use in cooling towers around the terminal and toilet flushing within the terminal.

As part of its wastewater treatment plant design, Sydney Airport Corporation selected a GE solution that combined a Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) system and Reverse Osmosis (RO) system. The MBR system is used to treat (recycle and reuse) domestic/airport sewerage and allow that treated water to be used in the flushing of the airport’s toilet system.

At the core of the MBR system is GE’s ZeeWeed 500 membrane; an advanced

filtration technology that separates particles, bacteria and viruses from wastewater.

These membranes are reinforced, hollow fibres that have been proven in more than two decades of wastewater treatment and water reuse.

The RO system implemented into the design, GE’s PRO Series RO system, desalinates the treated sewerage/effluent to feed the cooling tower, which requires a pure water quality. The PRO platform is a range of pre-engineered RO machines with their supporting components including multimedia filters, carbon filters, water softeners, chemical feed systems, tanks and pumps for the building blocks of a full-scale configurable water system.

By implementing the combination of products from GE, Sydney Airport

Corporation was able to generate the quality of treated water required by the Department of Water and Energy (DWE). Additionally, the water used for the cooling tower also meets the additional requirements for low calcium and magnesium recycled water at all times. Levels are measured each month to ensure compliance to these requirements.

Sydney Airport Corporation was also able to realise a 55-60% cost savings on potable water costs. By not having to send their sewerage out as industrial waste, there are additional savings, bringing the total approximate cost savings for water coming into, and out of, the facility to over $500,000 annually.

GE Energy Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N868

Whitsunday sewerage treatment upgrade project Tenix has been awarded a contract by Whitsunday Regional Council to design and construct two sewage treatment plants in northern Queensland. Following construction, Tenix will operate and maintain the upgraded plants under a longterm contract with the council.

Work at the plants - at Cannonvale and Proserpine - will involve building new plants on the existing sites. The new plants will have significant environmental benefits for the local communities by reducing sewage overflows, improving noise and odour, and generally reducing

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the nutrient load discharges to the environment.

“We are delighted to have been awarded the contract and to be gaining Whitsunday Regional Council as a client - the win endorses our position as a contractor of choice for the design, construction and operation of wastewater treatment plants in Australia,” said Sam Turnbull, Tenix Executive General Manager.

The contract was awarded following a competitive tender process with a strong focus on sustainability, including the design and building of the plants

to the most stringent effluent discharge requirements in order to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Tenix has already designed and constructed a number of state-of-the-art treatment plants in northern Queensland and is currently operating and maintaining plants in Mackay. Tenix has designed and constructed a significant number of plants and operates and currently maintains 15 similar plants today.

Tenix Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N327

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 37

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Dairy employs DAF treatment to achieve tough wastewater targets One of the world’s leading dairy product companies is achieving high-efficiency discharge targets from a $1.5 million wastewater treatment facility for treating effluent from its Southern NSW manufacturing site.

The company chose a high-performance highefficiency DAF (dissolved air flotation) system, designed and installed by CST Wastewater Solutions.

The wastewater treatment plant is capable of treating 300,000 L of effluent daily, meeting the local council’s demanding discharge standards as well as reducing the discharge fees paid to the council.

The DAF system at the plant was regarded as preferable to costly microbial treatment because the DAF process was straightforward and did a good job with a favourable return on investment (ROI).

DAF treatment reduces the high levels of suspended solids (SS) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) in the wastewater sufficiently to allow discharge into the local authority’s sewerage system.

The wastewater load released to the sewerage system has seen the following benefits: dissolved solids - 20% reduction; suspended solids - 90% removal; BOD - 70% removal; oil and grease 98% removal.

The full calculation of ROI has yet to be carried out by the dairy company. Investment and running costs will be balanced against the reduced discharge fees imposed by the local council.

Besides the dairy industry, other typical applications for the DAF system include paper manufacturing, oil industry, wineries, tanneries, textile industry, large laundries, chemical industry, refineries, sludge thickening, and primary and secondary clarification in municipal and industrial biological wastewater plants.

“CST’s DAF flotation system has been developed in line with the most advanced solids/liquid separation techniques,” said Michael Bambridge, Managing Director of CST Wastewater Solutions. “It features a low-volume circular flotation cell, coupled with a highefficiency, air-dissolving reactor, to achieve 95% air saturation.

“Costs are reduced as the DAF flotation process requires less chemical pretreatment for flocculation to occur. Further savings are achieved because DAF clarifiers are not as expensive to build and install compared to complex bacterial processes or large settling basins.”

The DAF treatment process at the dairy company includes a 94,000 L buffer tank, with the floated sludge being collected in a smaller 30,000 L tank.

The DAF process introduces microbubbles into the wastewater and with the aid of chemicals removes suspended matter, reducing the pollutant levels in the wastewater. The bubbles released by the DAF process carry the suspended matter to the surface of the flotation cell, where the matter is removed by a rotating scoop or surface skimmer.

The DAF system uses a unique doubleinjector air dispersal method that results in the efficient separation of solids from liquids. The method works by combining hydraulic distribution and filtration in a single system.

In the double-injector system, the first stage of air dissolving, up to a theoretical maximum saturation of 50%, occurs in the highturbulence, high-intensity mixing zone of the vessel’s central column.

The second stage occurs in the larger volume of the vessel, where longer air-liquid contact provides a large exchange with very fine bubbles and a high exchange surface.

Raw wastewater, saturated with air, is then introduced into the main body of the flotation tank through a series of openings located around the circumference of the lower part of the central column.

Solids are rapidly carried to the surface by the microbubbles and are evenly distributed as sludge on the surface of the flotation tank in a uniform hydrodynamic condition.

The sludge float is then removed by a rotating adjustable scroll scoop or by a surface skimmer, without disturbing the sludge blanket.

Key characteristics of the DAF system from CST Wastewater Solutions include: high air saturation efficiency >90%; automatic control of the injected air; automatic control of the sludge blanket; and flexible operation: recycle, partial flow or full flow.

Models range in size from 1.48 to 15.40 m in diameter and 1.00 to 2.58 m in height.

CST Wastewater Solutions Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N952

38 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

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WASTEWATER

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Sewage pump improves plant performance Operated by the Bundaberg Regional Council, Woodgate Vacuum Sewer Station is a medium-sized plant which services an area of approximately 3000 people and can grow to a population of 8000 in peak holiday times.

The sewer station incorporates a network of sewage lines that come from houses and businesses, and which all lead back to a collection point. A vacuum tank is located at the collection point and the sewage flows towards the tank with the aid of vacuum pumps.

Once full, the tank then needs to be emptied using a pump that transfers the sewage out of the tank under vacuum and into the treatment plant. To undertake this task, the station was using a positive displacement lobe-style pump.

By the end of 2009, Bundaberg Regional Council recognised that the overall efficiency of the plant was being hampered by the performance of the lobe-style pump.

“The design of the plant is such that the pump used to transfer the sewage from the tank to the treatment plant experiences a high differential between its suction and delivery side. This can cause excessive wear and tear and make the pump less efficient, and this is exactly what we started to experience,” explained Kevin Harris, Metal Trade Support Technician for Bundaberg Regional Council.

“Over time, the wear and tear on the lobe-style pump had increased and our maintenance bills were rising. The tips on the pump’s rotor were continuously wearing and it required maintenance almost monthly with major works every quarter.

By the end of 2009, our bills had become enormous,” said Harris.

The increasing wear and tear on the pump also meant that the pump was becoming less efficient. As the velocity of the sewage travelling through the pipe was slowing, the council found that rags and grit were settling out and not moving through to the sewer plant. This caused higher head pressures as the pipes were starting to block.

“We were also experiencing higher power consumption and increasing electricity bills. Initially we were shifting say 20 L of sewage a second, and then as the pump became more and more inefficient we would only move 5 L per second. Much more power was now required to pump out

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20 L of sewage. We were also running out of pumping time,” said Harris.

Faced with such a dilemma, Harris decided to explore alternative pumps with the aim of identifying a more efficient and robust solution.

A chance meeting at the 35th Queensland Water Industry Operations Workshop in Rockhampton, Queensland, in June 2010 brought him into contact with Hydro Innovations.

“I had already been assessing different pumps and suppliers when I came across Garry Grant from Hydro Innovations at the workshop,” said Harris.

Hydro Innovations recommended that Bundaberg Regional Council consider installing a Gormann-Rupp Ultra VS3A60-B (3″) two-stage, self-priming, centrifugal sewage pump. As a self-priming pump, it has inherently low NPSHr, making it suitable to handle the negative 80 kPa on the suction side of the pump. It is currently claimed to be the only two-stage centrifugal sewage pump on the market and provides good solids handling and increased pressure capabilities.

Thanks to an innovative transition chamber found inside the VS3A60-B, maximum pressure is said to be increased up to three times that of a traditional solids-handling, selfpriming, single-stage pump to deliver greater performance. The VS3A60-B two-stage pump also provides up to 60% increased flow when compared to the industry standard.

As with other GormanRupp sewage pumps, the VS3A60-B is also fitted as standard with a self-cleaning wear plate system that enables the pump to handle stringy materials and rags that would block other pumps.

A large back cover plate allows easy access to the pump’s interior.

The clearance between the impeller and wear plate can be adjusted simply and quickly without the need to realign belts, couplings or other drive components.

Once adjusted, the pump’s lock collar and adjusting screw maintain the clearance setting even if the cover plate is removed.

After a trial, Bundaberg Regional Council installed the pump in January 2011 and has not looked back since.

“It’s now been about 15 months since we installed the VS3A60-B and we have not even had to touch it once. It has been performing within the required parameters, maintaining a flow rate of 20 L per second and a head pressure of approximately 73 m. It has significantly improved the greater overall efficiency of the whole plant,” said Harris.

The VS3A60-B pump has also helped the council save on maintenance costs and the hassles associated with constant repairs.

Hydro Innovations Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q082

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 39

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Virtual control for water treatment The ‘virtual control room’ concept for treatment plants and pipeline system operations has been introduced by Water Infrastructure Group. The implementation of the concept was fuelled by a technology convergence in 2011. Devices such as smartphones, iPads and fast 3G and broadband services converged with mature software for automation processes and asset management. This convergence coincided with the rapid rise of social media and a generation of operational recruits who are very comfortable with mobile technology and the virtual online world.

Water Infrastructure Group Operations Manager Bruce Anderson began developing the virtual control room concept. “The aim was to make operations for the infrastructure that we own more efficient. As a private operator of essential services, our key issues are guaranteeing business continuity and regulatory compliance. The virtual control room enables us to comply not only with increasingly stringent EPA and health requirements, but also with the commercial terms of our contracts with our clients.

“The virtual control room gives us the ability to closely monitor our plants 24/7 and respond immediately so that our plants operate at maximum efficiency,” explained Bruce.

Water Infrastructure Group’s innovation with the Virtual Control Room was recognised at the 2012 Institute of Public Works NSW Engineering Excellence Awards announced in May this year. The Innovation in Water Supply and Wastewater - Operations award was presented to Water Infrastructure Group, Eurobodalla Shire Council and the NSW Department of Public Works for the Eurobodalla Northern Water Treatment Plant in Batemans Bay. Water Infrastructure Group partnered with

Eurobodalla Shire Council and NSW Department of Public Works to deliver a high-tech water treatment plant on the NSW South Coast.

Water Infrastructure Group’s early involvement in the project led to several significant changes to the design of the plant to increase efficiency and operability - a key innovation being the Virtual Control Room.

Eurobodalla Shire Council General Manager Paul Anderson said the Virtual Control Room was ideally suited to a regional facility and provided a number of benefits to council and the community, and these were recognised by the IPWEA Award.

“Our operators are able to safely and productively monitor and control the plant remotely via smartphones or iPads. Its efficiency also provides flexibility to council and its remote management saves us both time and money,” said Paul.

The operators can complete work orders on the spot, rather than taking handwritten notes to key in later on the desktop.

When it comes to maintenance and repairs, the service history and maintenance schedules for all the equipment are available on the spot, right when and where the operator needs them. The overall status of each of the operations sites can be managed from a central convenient location, and with real-time monitoring, issues can be identified early.

Water Infrastructure Group also received the AWA National Safety Excellence Award for the Bondi Ocean Outfall Sewer Rehabilitation Project at OzWater in May. Peter Everist, Water Infrastructure Group General Manager, said that it was very pleasing to receive recognition for innovation and safety. “Innovation and safety are two key areas that we have focused on in our business to deliver real benefits to our staff, clients and the community. This focus is now paying dividends and it’s great to see the efforts of our people and our leadership in these areas recognised by the industry,” Peter said.

Water Infrastructure Group Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q368

40 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

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WATER

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Sewage treatment for remote mining village accommodation T h e o u t c o m e o f O v i v o ’s project to install a sewage treatment system in a remote accommodation village means that every time the resident miners go to use the toilet, the water is blue.

The project in Coppabella (central Queensland), to provide remote living accommodation solutions for the mining and resource industry, was installed in August 2011 for a company called The MAC, which specialises in developing, owning and operating isolated accommodation villages across Australia.

Ovivo built a portable membrane treatment system to treat the raw sewage and turn it into class A+ water, which is then used for flushing toilets and irrigation on-site. Blue dye is added to the treated water to differentiate it from fresh water; hence the toilets at the village are always blue.

The ongoing job, located 150 km south-west of Mackay, has enabled the MAC accommodation village - which currently has more than 1700 ensuite rooms, leisure facilities, a restaurant and a bar - to expand by building a treatment system which can handle the waste of an additional 750 workers.

Ovivo designed, built and installed the container system which was lined in stainless steel. The system consists of an anoxic/ buffer tank, aeration tank using Aerostrips and a Toray MBR system with chlorine disinfection. It is sized to 1500 m3/day.

Ovivo Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N730

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December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 41

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Pumping out new technology The laboratories at the AWMC (Advanced Water Management Centre) at The University of Queensland are set up to cater for numerous experiments to develop sustainable techniques for water management. Once proven, the resulting technology is often scaled up and used in much larger facilities.

For the range of biological and process experiments that are conducted at the university, it was important for the laboratory to have pumps that were accurate, flexible to be used in different applications and easy for the researchers to set up and integrate, with technical assistance if required.

Watson-Marlow was selected as the ideal investment for the pumps.

Research fellow Dr Julien Reungoat uses the Watson-Marlow 323U/MC8 microcassette pump because the high-speed turndown allows the pump to accurately pump multiple channels at very low flow rates, down to 10-20 mL/min.

The pump is used to pump 10 channels (coupling two 5-channel pumpheads) of treated wastewater into small-scale GAC adsorption columns where trace organic compounds are

removed by adsorption. Over time, the adsorption capacity becomes exhausted and bacteria grow on the media, allowing the biodegradation of trace organic compounds, which is, in this application, a new technology.

The columns adsorption/biodegradation performance is measured over time, and the experimental equipment needs to be in continuous 24/7 operation for the data to be collected over several months.

The microcassette pumpheads have Marprene manifold tubing installed in them. This thermoplastic material can last up to up to 10,000 hours pumping water at zero pressure, which translates to very minimal maintenance for the users.

“This pump has been used in the lab for over three years,” Dr Reungoat says. “We only use Watson-Marlow, they are easy to program and we are very happy with them. After the first few pumps were purchased, we found they were very flexible to move into the various applications by switching pumphead or tubing combinations. The digital display on the pump allows operators to know the flow rate, which is also a huge plus.”

In the Water Recycling Team at the AWMC, Dr Kristell Le Corre has installed a larger IP66-rated Watson-Marlow 520UN/R pump outside for a sampling application at the Bundamba Sewage Treatment Plant.

“I was using Watson-Marlows for lab-scale applications at my prior job in the UK. They’re renowned as good quality lab pumps, and I’ve never experienced any sort of failures with the ones I used at the time,” Dr Le Corre states. “In this application however, conditions are different as sampling has to be performed outside.

We have the pump installed on-site, running 24/7 in all elements - rain, humidity - and it is perfect for what we need. The pump is set in the automatic mode responding to a 4-20mA signal from the main inflow meter of the sewage treatment plant. It samples wastewater proportionally to the main flow, then we can accurately analyse its content in pharmaceutical residues in the labs later.”

In the context of source control - the first of the seven barriers process of South East Queensland’s water recycling schemes - the main objectives of Dr Le Corre’s are to investigate which fractions of the total load of pharmaceutical residues in the influent of a sewage treatment plant originate from hospitals and answering the question: Is treatment or removal of pharmaceuticals at the source an effective and economic approach to reduce pharmaceutical loads in the influent of a sewage treatment plant? Hence, treated municipal wastewater could be used as feed for an advanced treatment plant. On a bigger scale, her research will help to determine appropriate monitoring methodologies and enhance the understanding of wastewater related pollutants fluxes in the urban environment.

All in all, Watson-Marlow pumps are helping the AWMC with successful research, development and application projects, of which many are in close collaboration with industry and research collaborators. The pumps are also trickling into other labs on campus and processing sites as a direct result of the research academics movements and satisfaction with using them.

Watson-Marlow (Pty) Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N212

42 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

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WATER

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The value of measuring your ‘footprint’

Businesses are dealing with not only rising energy and water prices but also increasing regulatory pressure on their capacity to better manage water and energy consumption.

No matter what size the operation, every manager knows that “you can’t manage what you can’t measure”.

Footprint is an online monitoring tool developed by Melbourne-based iota.

Using the tool, organisations can monitor and quickly review every aspect of their environmental footprint, including: • energy and water consumption • petrol, diesel and LPG consumption • trade waste discharge • b ore water and recycled water consumption • stormwater harvesting projects • refrigerant leakage • corporate transport including flights and vehicle mileage • c orporate and community waste to landfill Data is stored permanently and centrally so years of background and comparative information can be used to manage, analyse and report on performance.

The City of Greater Dandenong uses Footprint to monitor water and electricity

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usage across meters in 18 locations. By using real-time monitoring, the council has been able to detect and address water leaks at every monitored meter and identify ways to save electricity by fixing faulty equipment and changing practices. Water savings to date have been measured at 329,802 litres per day and electricity consumption has also been reduced substantially, cutting waste and reducing costs.

Jean-Paul Lambe, Manager of iota services, said the technology, which consists of a dynamic web-based monitoring platform, can help all kinds of organisations.

“Our customers include small and large businesses, local governments and schools.

Whatever kind of organisation you are running, these days you need to be able to measure and control your environmental footprint,” said Lambe.

While other monitoring tools are available, Footprint provides a comprehensive picture

of performance, in real time, across the organisation’s entire carbon footprint. It is a fully integrated resource for monitoring and reporting on a wide range of sustainabilityrelated data, from single sites or across a range of sites.

“Having such a comprehensive picture in one integrated system makes it easier and faster to fulfil reporting obligations and train new users. Users find it straightforward to monitor and interrogate data, and to create reports and analysis, with Footprint’s click and drag tools and well-designed graphical interface,” said Lambe.

Footprint can be used on PCs and mobile platforms, such as smartphones and tablets, putting real-time information at the users’ fingertips.

Ready access to this quality and quantity of data helps organisations monitor and report on their environmental performance it also gives them the opportunity to identify issues and reduce their footprint.

“The Footprint solution is cost effective, as each customer only pays for what they need from the platform’s modular design,” continued Lambe.

Using current rebates under the Victorian State Government’s Living Victoria Water Rebate program, small businesses (up to 50 FTE employees) in Victoria can claim 50% of the cost of buying a range of approved items, until the end of June 2015 (up to a total of $2000). iota has been established by Melbourne water retailer South East Water to capture innovation from across the organisation and turn ideas into proven technologies.

Iota Services Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R524

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 43

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Ultrafiltration membrane system boosts capacity and quality

To meet the drinking water supply demands of a regional population that is projected to grow from 70,000 to 120,000 by the end of this decade, the Tweed Shire Council needed to upgrade the 50 million litre per day (MLD) capacity of its existing Bray Park Water Treatment Plant in Murwillumbah, located on the far north coast of New South Wales, Australia.

At the same time, the council had to solve a persistent quality problem with the raw water it drew from the Tweed River to Bray Park. Lengthy periods of heavy rainfall could cause wild swings in water quality, with big changes in colour along with highly volatile, upward spikes in turbidity followed by abrupt decreases in alkalinity.

Occasional prolonged droughts spawned algal blooms that

made the water smell and taste bad. Farming operations in the steep catchment area introduced more protozoan pathogens into the water.

The council op t e d f o r immersed membrane filtration as a good way to achieve the water quality it desired for a new treatment plant. Because only one plant with this technology had previously been built in Australia to match the 100 MLD capacity of the proposed new facility, the council needed a supplier who had the experience, a robust installed base, an advanced skill set and product features to handle the project.

It chose GE and its ZeeWeed 500 membrane system, with its innovative twin membrane cassette configuration.

With this system configuration, which joins two

44 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

cassettes before they connect to a header, GE reduced the number of required treatment trains and attained a corresponding reduction in the number of valves, pumps and pipework.

The UF membranes can filter out more organic matter with less coagulant addition than other methods, such as granular filtration. With four treatment trains - each containing a 30 kW pump and eight membrane cassettes within a membrane tank - the ZeeWeed system deployed about 6.5 million membrane fibres to create the large surface area needed to achieve that high 100 MLD flow through the membrane pores.

ZeeWeed membranes remove most of the very fine particles and more than 99.99% of microorganisms (bacteria and parasites) from the raw water

at Bray Park, along with greater than 99% of viruses.

Since the twin cassette option required much less treatment infrastructure, the plant operator has realised major capital and operating cost savings and shrunk the carbon footprint.

Because GE and its project design partner, Hunter Water Australia, decided to place the new plant on higher ground at the top of the site and above the existing plant, they didn’t need to continuously operate a permeate pump to provide the membrane-driving suction that could accommodate a substantial average daily treatment capacity (ie, up to 60% of the treatment capacity is achieved by siphoning). That resulted in big savings on power and greenhouse gas emissions.

Economies derived from the GE technology and plant siting for the Bray Park WTP, which opened in June 2010, are projected to save $1.1 million over a 20-year period. Treatment capacity has been boosted by 50 MLD and is designed to grow to 150 MLD when that becomes necessary, effectively droughtproofing the Tweed Shire region.

GE Energy Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q490

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WATER

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Station provides flood warning and road weather data Networks using the ALERT protocol are designed to give immediate access to data that indicates the likelihood of flood conditions. ALERT stations are typically set up to acquire and transmit hydrological and meteorological data on a timed and event basis. Campbell Scientific data loggers that are used to run ALERT stations have plenty of capability to spare, and that capability can be leveraged to perform a variety of services.

Douglas County, Colorado, in conjunction with Denver’s Urban Drainage Flood Control District (UDFCD), operates an extensive ALERT network to monitor potential flood conditions. In 2008, the county decided that the next ALERT site they set up should also have a camera to monitor stream and road conditions, and a roadtemperature sensor to aid the Public Works department with winter maintenance. This would give the station the abilities of a road-weather information system (RWIS).

To accomplish this task, Water & Earth Technologies of Fort Collins, Colorado, worked with Campbell Scientific to design and build the new site as a multipurpose system. The new system has a variety of features: • T he immediacy of an ALERT station • Real-time and historical weather data for meteorologists • A cellular router for remote data access and transmission to Weather Underground (WU) • A camera to send images to WU and to the Public Works department The Campbell Scientific CR1000 Measurement and Control Data Logger at the heart of the ALERT station was programmed to instruct the RF500M radio modem to transmit

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precipitation, water level, wind speed and gust, wind direction and battery voltage to the UDFCD base station in Denver using the ALERT protocol.

In addition to this normal flood-warning role, the logger acts as a web server, using cellular communications to provide other users with near-real-time images of the stream, along with the same type of data sent to the ALERT

network, and temperatures for water, air and road surface. A staff gauge was painted on one of the bridge piers to be visible by the camera, and this can be used to verify the performance of the water-level sensors. The product is also configured to use its internet communication abilities to send current data and camera images to the Weather Underground website.

The weather station has no access to AC power, but is able to rely solely on solar power. The programmability of the logger has enabled use of power-saving techniques such as turning off the camera at night and powering down sensors when they are not needed.

Campbell Scientific Aust Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R244

HORIBA U-50 MULTI-PARAMETER WATER QUALITY METERS

pH Oxidation Reduction Potential Dissolved Oxygen Conductivity Salinity Total Dissolved Solids Seawater Specific Gravity Temperature Turbidity Water Depth GPS

AUSTRALIAN SCIENTIFIC Pty Ltd

PO Box 335 Kotara NSW 2289 - Ph 1800 021 083 - Fax 02 4956 2525 sales@austscientific.com.au - www.austscientific.com.au

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 45

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Analysing Sydney’s water

Sydney Water Analytical Services plays an important role auditing treated and untreated water samples from various locations in Sydney’s water network, and Watson-Marlow pumps have been an integral part of its services for over 10 years.

The Sydney Water Analytics team, working out of the West Ryde facility, process a variety of water samples that come in from the field ranging in 10-100 L volumes. There are five identical filtration skids in the lab to process the samples efficiently. Due to the importance of this data and strict turnaround times, one of the skids is used for extra capacity in busy times and there is a duplicate 6th skid off-site for business continuity if the lab is closed, for example, by natural disaster.

Watson-Marlow 620SN/R pumps have recently been installed on each skid

downstream of the flat-bed membrane.

The pumps, which typically run around 135 rpm, have a good suction capability and draw fluid from the sample bag through the filtration membrane for any solid material to be filtered and analysed with a microscope for microorganisms. In particular, the microscopic parasties that are looked for are Cryptosporidium and Giardia, which can cause gastrointestinal illness.

“Watson-Marlow pumps have a good track record in this facility,” said Peter Beatson, Senior Analyst at the lab. “The older model 604S/R pumps were installed in this application and had over 10 years of reliable service. When we were going through the approval process for new equipment, that was a major plus when comparing potential suppliers - we knew they would be a good investment.”

The 620SN/R pumps have been set up with Watson-Marlow’s most recommended Marprene peristaltic pump tubing (a thermoplastic elastomer), which has a long running life and is widely compatible with chemicals. With a duty cycle of 2-3 hours a day, the maintenance on the pumps is minimal with a tube change required only every two months. “Changing the tube takes just minutes, it is very simple to replace and get the pump going again.”

Sydney Water’s Analytical Services laboratory has been testing for these organisms since the mid-nineties.

Occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in untreated water, associated with water-related disease worldwide, can follow large rainfall events and contamination by sewage effluents or animal waste. Waterborne outbreaks have been reported mostly in North America and Europe.

In 1998 a number of Cryptosporidium were detected in Sydney’s water supply after flooding in the catchment. The public were asked to boil drinking water as a precaution, but no illnesses were recorded.

The laboratory remains ever vigilant, checking on a daily basis for Cryptosporidium and Giardia in the water supplies to ensure that the water is safe for consumers, and using Watson-Marlow pumps in the process to help them do so.

Watson-Marlow (Pty) Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/M481

Flow meter installed with minimum disruption When a pump station in northern Sydney required the installation of a flow meter to an existing pipeline, the downtime had to be kept to a minimum to avoid disruption of the water supply.

After excavation and concreting of the flow meter pit was completed, a new pipe section with the flow meter pre-installed was delivered to the site. The pipeline was shut down and an equivalent section of the existing water main line was cut. The new section with the flow meter was put in place and connected to the remaining main line with two Straub Flex 2H 1296.0 mm

pipe couplings. Because the Straub pipe couplings have a very short installation time, disruption to the water supply was kept to a minimum.

According to KCES, this solution saved time and money, as joining the flow meter section with Gibault-style pipe joints would have substantially increased the cost for the pipe joints, and the fitting time would also have been significantly longer.

Welding the flow meter section of pipe into the existing main would have required an absolutely dry pipe line. This would have been very difficult to achieve in view of the

46 Sustainability Matters - December 2012/January 2013

length of time it would have taken to drain such a large pipe. In addition, after longer periods in operation there was a risk that the valves would no longer seal absolutely tightly and a small amount of water would still trickle through.

Due to the short installation time of the Straub pipe couplings, this modification of an existing water main could be carried out with minimal disruption for the clients and their customers.

KCES Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/N397

www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au

WATER

 best

Real-time monitoring for flood predictability When major flooding struck northwest Victoria in 2010, flood plain inundation was monitored much the same as it had been for decades with manual markers and visual recording. It was a welltried flood management practice, but one fraught with inaccuracy from misinterpretation and with inherent safety risks.

For Thiess Services’ regional hydrographer Rohan Oliver, it was evident that existing technology could be packaged to provide a cost-effective and easily deployable real-time data reporting system. The technological solution was provided by fellow Thiess Services hydrographer Mike Wheaton, who took up the research and innovation challenge with enthusiastic support and funding from Victoria’s Department of Sustainability and Environment.

The newly developed system was near completion when flooding returned to Victoria in 2012. The system was called into action and Thiess Services’ Portable Automated Logger System or PALS was born. Thiess Services’ regional hydrographer, Mark Pickles, organised deployment of 10 PALS units to the field to monitor the level and duration of flood inundation. Each unit took only a couple hours to deploy before it began transmitting real-time data at 10-minute intervals back to the hosted website.

Unlike the manual and labour-intensive methods previously employed, the PALS provided automated real-time flood level data and warnings via the cellular network. Mark Pickles says this system became a valuable tool for authorities providing vital warnings to the general public. “It gave authorities an ability to see what the hydrograph looked like in areas where there was no historical data or local knowledge available. This enabled them to better predict when roads would be blocked or become passable or when areas would be flooded or free from inundation.”

The manual system had two major weaknesses. The first was that gauges would only be read sporadically and the recording of that information was prone to error and misinterpretation. The second problem was that there could be significant safety risks associated with trying to access sites during major floods.

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“Continual real-time monitoring and the uploading of near realtime data to a central website takes most of the guesswork out of interpreting the movement of the flood wave,” Mark explains. For Mike Wheaton, who did much of the development work, PALS was a major achievement. “We were thrilled with the response.

The feedback from the DSE Flood Group, Incident Control Centre and Bureau of Meteorology has been absolutely fantastic.”

Technology will continue to improve PALS with the potential to add video streaming and satellite data links for areas without cellular access. It has potential for short-term environmental monitoring with onboard sensors capable of recording a range of water quality and other parameters.

Thiess Corporate Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q649

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5682 readers (77% personally requested) All material published in this magazine is published in good faith and every care is taken to accurately relay information provided to us. Readers are advised by the publishers to ensure that all necessary safety devices and precautions are installed and safe working procedures adopted before the use of any equipment found or purchased through the information we provide. Further, all performance criteria was provided by the representative company concerned and any dispute should be referred to them. Information indicating that products are made in Australia or New Zealand is supplied by the source company. Westwick-Farrow Pty Ltd does not quantify the amount of local content or the accuracy of the statement made by the source.

December 2012/January 2013 - Sustainability Matters 47

CASE STUDY

Project Scope

Energy Australia Learning Centre Trigeneration System

The new Energy Australia Learning Centre will be the country’s largest electrical learning centre and will be home to the next generation of front line energy workers. The Learning Centre will also become the headquarters of the electricity provider’s smart grid operations and energy efficiency centre.

system installed is a high life expectancy grid paralleled Cogeneration system and waste heat cooling system. This system is illustrated and described below.

Urban energy was engaged to design, project manage, supply and install an efficient alternative energy system to the facility in order to reduce the electricity usage and reduce the running costs for the centre and to provide an efficient source of cooling and heating for the centre. The

2. Creates heat for use in the hot water generation of the Centre

System Design 1. Creates electricity for use within the facility

3. Creates cooling for the centre Both the hot water and chilled water are produced for “free” from the waste heat of the Trigeneration Plant.

SPECIFICATIONS CO-GENERATION SYSTEM 120kW Cogeneration System Daily electrical output Daily Thermal output ABSORPTION CHILLER 98kW Absorption Chiller Daily Thermal (cooling) output

Parallel Grid connected 120kW natural gas cogeneration system and waste heat recovery absorption chiller (Trigeneration).

The system utilises a sophisticated Cogeneration system and waste heat recovery Absorption Chiller to efficiently generate a proportion of the electricity used by the centre and efficiently generate cooling. This system is designed to operate for 15 hours of the day over the peak and shoulder electricity tariff periods.

1,470 kWh

Electricity

Fuel

Heat Heat

Urban Energy’s Trigeneration systems can reach efficiencies of 95% and achieve full synchronisation to the grid in around 45 seconds. Shown here is a simple energy schematic to graphically show how a Trigeneration system operates.

1,800 kWh 2,445kWh

Cooling

CARBON DIOXIDE AND COST SAVINGS OF SYSTEM ARE EQUIVALENT TO By installing this efficient alternative energy electricity generation and waste heat hybrid system, Energy Australia has reduced the running costs of the centre and saved significant quantities of carbon dioxide, the main contributor to global warming. Estimated Saving of 527 Tonnes CO2 per year compared with a Purchasing electricity from the grid and buying Gas to generate heat.

Planting 2,635 trees per year or

Taking 117 cars off the road per year

This new Trigeneration system reduces the CO2 output of the Centre by an estimated 40% as well as reducing the running cost of the facility by 35%.

Urban Energy Australasia Pty Ltd 1/10 Anella Avenue Castle Hill NSW 2154 Ph: 1300 66 99 81 Fax: (02) 8850 6344 sales@urbanenergy.com.au www.urbanenergy.com.au