Signatory News

‘EV Shout Outs’ to feature firms’ EV use

‘EV Shout Outs’ to feature firms’ EV use

Businesses across the country are invited to ‘shout out’ about their EV use, in a bid to encourage more organisations to switch their fleets.

The newly launched EV Shout Outs is the latest project from the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA) Gen Less platform and celebrates businesses talking about their EV use on social media by giving them shout outs on prominent digital billboards in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and online.

How do you run a sustainable and carbon zero corporation?

How do you run a sustainable and carbon zero corporation?

Is it possible for a company to be a large, national corporation and carbon neutral at the same time?

The Warehouse Group is marking its first year as a carboNZero business, and says it’s about time other companies joined the movement.

The Chief Sustainability Officer, David Benattar spoke to The AM Show.

Warehouse Group takes a hardline on carbon-heavy suppliers

Warehouse Group takes a hardline on carbon-heavy suppliers

The country’s largest retailer says it is “absolutely” prepared to drop suppliers if they don’t cut back on their carbon emissions.

It is nearly a year since The Warehouse Group went “carbon neutral” – that is, it has completely offset its carbon footprint by cutting back on its own emissions, tree planting and buying carbon credits.

In the last year, the company has managed to reduce its overall emissions by 4 per cent.

Foodstuffs building country’s largest solar panel roof

Foodstuffs building country’s largest solar panel roof

Foodstuffs is building the country’s largest solar panel farm to power its new North Island distribution centre.

The distribution centre, which will serve all Pak ‘n Save, New World and Four Square supermarkets in the North Island, will include the equivalent of 14 netball courts of solar panels.

The building is currently under construction near Auckland International Airport.

Westpac NZ and Contact Energy agree first sustainability-linked loan

Westpac NZ and Contact Energy agree first sustainability-linked loan

Westpac NZ and Contact Energy have entered into a $50 million, four-year sustainability-linked loan facility, the first such loan issued by Westpac NZ and one of the first of its kind in New Zealand.

Contact Energy will receive a discounted interest rate on the sustainability-linked loan if it meets ambitious targets linked to its environmental, social and governance (ESG) rating determined by the independent ratings agency RobecoSAM. Conversely, Contact will pay higher interest costs if it doesn’t meet the rating targets agreed with Westpac.

Blue skies thinking needed for low carbon tourism in NZ

Blue skies thinking needed for low carbon tourism in NZ

Creative solutions will be needed to reduce the carbon footprint of the New Zealand tourism sector by 2050, says thinkstep-anz following a comprehensive study done for the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.

Tourism was responsible for 9% of New Zealand’s national emissions in 2017, and we outsource a further 6% of our domestic emissions to the world through the international flights taken to get here and in the production of the goods and services that tourists purchase while in New Zealand.

SkyCity debuts new Sky Tower LED lights with dynamic show

SkyCity debuts new Sky Tower LED lights with dynamic show

Over the last two months, a team of contractors and SkyCity staff have been busy changing the external lightbulbs on the Sky Tower to LED, supporting SkyCity’s climate change commitment to reduce carbon emissions from the Sky Towers lighting by 10%.

The new LED lights will turn on for the first time this Saturday 21st December, at 9.00pm, with a dynamic light show, all in time with a playlist featuring kiwi hits and festive tunes hosted by the Breeze radio station.

Climate focussed annual budget welcomed by chair

Climate focussed annual budget welcomed by chair

Auckland Council’s Environment and Climate Change Committee Chair Richard Hills has welcomed Mayor Phil Goff’s proposal for the 2020-21 Annual Budget as an important step forward for the climate.

“I thank the Mayor for working with us and leading the way on climate change on his annual budget proposal. We have heard loud and clear our community wants us to act and to act faster,” says Cr Hills.

Urban garden grows on High Street

Urban garden grows on High Street

High Street is bursting with flowers, strawberries, kawa kawa and mint.

For the Love of Bees has planted these, along with a range of other edible and medicinal plants, as part of a trial to create a safer and more accessible High Street that improves the environment for pedestrians and celebrates its unique character.

Tork is first to uncover the impact of composting hand towels

Tork is first to uncover the impact of composting hand towels

Through life cycle assessment, Tork has found composting hand towels with commercial composters instead of disposing in landfill reduces greenhouse gas emissions by around 50 percent.

Life cycle assessment was completed by thinkstep-anz as part of new Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) on a number of Tork products. Each EPD outlines the Global Warming Potential (carbon footprint), which quantifies the potential of greenhouse gases – such as carbon dioxide and methane – to increase absorption of heat reaching Earth’s atmosphere, intensifying the natural greenhouse effect.

Engineered timber versus concrete and steel for commercial buildings – what’s the cost difference?

Engineered timber versus concrete and steel for commercial buildings – what’s the cost difference?

Using engineered timber instead of concrete and steel on commercial buildings may not be a lot more expensive, big construction firm Naylor Love says

New Zealand’s largest private construction firm with 700 staff and $600 million turnover, Naylor Love has developed a calculator that quantifies the amount of carbon in building structures using different materials.