Source: DFAT Portfolio Budget Statements 2017–18, p. 45, Outcome 3

Environmental management services to all properties in the domestic leased estate are delivered under the department’s Property Management Services contract with Jones Lang LaSalle. Under the contract it provides:

1. monitoring and reporting on the impact of DFAT business on the environment
2. identifying, costing and, where cost effective, implementing environmental initiatives
3. preparing information for DFAT mandatory reporting, including Energy Efficiency in Government Operations (EEGO), National Waste Policy, Australian Packaging Covenant, and WaterMAPS
4. providing strategic advice on environmental management policy and government direction that will benefit DFAT strategies.

JLL is also required to be compliant, and remain up to date, with any changes in relevant legislation, regulation and policy.

The department fulfilled required whole-of-government reporting on the ICT Sustainability Plan and the Australian Packaging Covenant. The department collated energy usage according to the metrics outlined in EEGO Policy and used this information to target initiatives and energy efficiency works.

The department joined a number of other federal government agencies in becoming a signatory of the national CitySwitch Green Office program. Through active participation in this program, the department has further formalised the commitment to sustainable operation of its office tenancies.

Refurbishment of the base building services in the RG Casey Building in 2016 improved the building’s environmental performance. This building constitutes a significant portion of the department’s domestic stationary energy use. Current monthly consumption is approximately 25% lower than before the refurbishment. We expect consumption for 2018–19 to reduce further, with the relocation of server equipment into more efficient external data centres.

The department’s leased premises at 255 London Circuit Canberra holds an accredited 4.5 star National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) energy rating for offices. The building features a number of sustainable design elements, including an environmentally sustainable cooling system and grey water recycling. In 2018 the NABERS Energy tenancy rating at 40 Allara St Canberra improved to 5 stars as a result of increased occupant density, equating to more productive use of the energy at this site.

In the overseas estate, environmental performance is a core part of all major new construction projects. Environmental management and monitoring through the construction phase has included air quality, noise levels, and waste water management.

The department actively pursues various environmentally sustainable initiatives in the delivery of its overseas projects, such as energy efficient lighting, daylight and motion sensors, rain water harvesting, and zoned air-conditioning systems and Building Management Systems (BMS) to lower energy consumption.

The department is also working towards environmental certification of selected new construction projects to recognised international standards. This includes developing an Environmental Management Plan to address the management of energy, water and waste, and greenhouse gas emissions from refrigerants, associated with the operation of the department’s property portfolio, and to develop environmentally sustainable initiatives through the building lifecycle.

In 2017–18 the department installed an extensive 535 panel solar array at the embassy in Amman, Jordan. The system is expected to produce significant savings per year, with an expected payback period of just over two years.

JLL provided ongoing energy and BMS monitoring and engineering support at the new embassy in Jakarta. As a result of this program, opportunities for controls modifications were identified. To date the program has generated annual savings of at least $70,000 a year.