Switching on the green light Many Kiwi businesses are lagging behind global uptake of sustainable practices. Hayley Barnett asks local energy efficiency experts why more of our companies aren't tapping into environmental opportunities and what some businesses are doing to go green

Staggering savings, increased productivity, a reduced carbon footprint and a better reputation are just some of the payoffs for businesses that decide to go down the road of energy efficiency. Yet convincing Kiwi companies to go green is still a monstrous challenge. It seems businesses, large and sm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNew Zealand Management p. 50
Main Author Barnett, Hayley
Format Trade Publication Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Auckland Adrenalin Publishing Ltd 01.02.2012
Subjects
Carbon footprint
Cost control
Energy audits
Energy consumption
Energy efficiency
Energy management
Energy policy
Green buildings
Lighting
Managers
Productivity
Reputations
New Zealand
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Summary:Staggering savings, increased productivity, a reduced carbon footprint and a better reputation are just some of the payoffs for businesses that decide to go down the road of energy efficiency. Yet convincing Kiwi companies to go green is still a monstrous challenge. It seems businesses, large and small, have the best of intentions but, when push comes to shove, talk of lowering our carbon footprint might just be a lot of hot air. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) is mandated to educate businesses on the benefits of saving energy. It does this by focusing on what corporates tend to value most - their bottom line. Last year, the Government launched its Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy, part of which involves assisting businesses to improve their energy productivity. EECA chief executive Mike Underhill says Kiwi companies have more to gain than they think.
ISSN:1174-5339
1179-3910