2011 Excellence in Leadership and Innovation Winners

Sustainability Champion Award

Amanda McCluskey – Colonial First State Global Asset Management

Amanda has taken CFSGAM [Colonial First State Global Asset Management] to be recognised globally as a leader in responsible investment. Amanda works with every one of our investment teams to increase their understanding of sustainability issues and how they impact the performance of companies. Every day Amanda works towards addressing what I see as a massive market failure - the failure of mainstream investors to consider the environmental, social and governance issues that impact investment returns.

Mark Lazberger – CEO Colonial First State Global Asset Management

Amanda McCluskey is Head of Responsible Investment and Sustainability for Colonial First State Global Asset Management. She has been a leader in developing and delivering strategy on sustainability and climate change issues across the investment sector.

Amanda provides national and global leadership to help institutions and investors consider the environmental and social impacts on financial performance.

She was founding Deputy Chair of the Investor Group on Climate Change, is on the board of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and is involved with United Nations initiatives on responsible investment.

2011 Climate Change Leadership Award Winner

Investa Property Group – Sydney - North Sydney tri-generation precinct

“This is the first step to building a tri-generation energy network for the city centre that will reduce carbon pollution and increase efficiency for city businesses”

Clover Moore, Lord Mayor Sydney

In April 2011, Investa Property Group with partner Origin launched Australia’s first commercial building tri-generation precinct.

The tri-generation plant at Investa's 6-star Green Star ARK building in North Sydney, supplies lower carbon electricity, hot water and chilled water to the base building, which exports surplus electricity to Deutsche Bank Place in Sydney’s central business district via Ausgrid's electrical distribution network. The building will be heated and cooled almost exclusively from the generator’s waste heat.

Together, the two buildings are expected to save more than 1,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year. This project has also set an important precedent for other organisations to share surplus low carbon power between buildings.

2011 Climate Change Leadership Award – Highly Commended

Hunter and Central Coast Regional Environmental Management Strategy – Regional Climate Change Adaptation Planning Initiative

Established in 1993, the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Environmental Management Strategy (HCCREMS) a framework to guide and coordinate the efforts of 14 councils to strategically address sustainable planning, environmental and natural resource management issues. Collectively the councils represent over 4 million hectares including urban, rural and coastal areas.

Through active stakeholder engagement all 14 councils have now completed risk assessment and adaptation plans.  These provide a strong and consistent platform for effective collaborative regional adaptation actions to address climate change.

2011 Environmental Innovation Award Winner

enLighten Australia – Chameleon Multi Function Light

“Winning a Green Globe Award is a landmark for our young and emerging company. It enhances enLighten’s credentials as a leader in energy efficient lighting whose Smart Lighting patents are leading the world, not just Australia. More importantly, to win will help focus wider community attention on the potential for energy saving in lighting, particularly the benefits of Smart Lighting.”

David Whitfield CEO enlighten Australia

EnLighten Australia’s Chameleon Multi Function Light provides two modes of lighting in one lighting fixture.

The technology is specifically designed to reduce energy consumption in areas that need to be lit for safety or security reasons such as fire-stairs, car-parks and corridors. It is estimated that 2million florescent lights operate in Australia that can be replaced with this technology. This has the potential to reduce 700,000 tonnes of carbon pollution each year.

The light uses highly efficient state of the art LED chips to provide high efficiency lighting and matches it with leading-edge motion sensing technology. The stand-by light is permanently on providing emergency lighting and sufficient light to see at all times. The main light is only activated when the space is occupied by using a motion sensor.

The Chameleon Multi Function Light has achieved energy savings of 93 per cent compared to traditional lighting and is estimated to provide a return on investment in less than one year.

This innovative technology has the potential for widespread implementation and outstanding energy savings.

2011 Environmental Innovation Award - Highly Commended

Instyle Contract Textiles – LIFE Textiles and EthEco Wool

A key focus for Instyle Contract Textiles is the development of innovative interior textiles designed specifically for the environment. INSTYLE has gone beyond industry standards.

By switching to EthEco® wool from non-mulesed sheep raised on holistically-managed farms, they are the first interior textile company worldwide to address both ethical and environmental considerations in its wool sourcing.