High Rise Case Study

Colliers Jardine

Contact:	Name: Peter Calwell
		Position: Director
		Ph: (03) 9629 8888 
		Fx: (03) 9629 4944
Postal address: Level 22, 429 Collins St.
		Melbourne, 3000

Achieving a unity of approach out of a diversity of tenants

Description of Project

With funding provided by the Recycling and Resource Recovery Council (RRRC), the Central lousiness District head office of commercial real estate agent, Colliers Jardines became the subject of an 18 month pilot aimed at developing a waste management strategy for a multi-tenanted property.

Utilising a combination of reduction, reuse and recycling initiatives, the main aim of the project was to reduce waste produced by 20% at the end of 1994, rising to a 50% reduction by the end of 1995. Strategies developed as part of this pilot project are seen as replicable for other multi-tenanted buildings, and the RRRC intends to disseminate its findings widely.

With 28 offices in the Asia Pacific and 106 affiliates worldwide, Colliers Jardine offers a full range of property services from sales, leasing, property and project management, to valuation, research and consultancy. The site of Colliers Jardine's head office is a dual tower at 459 Collins St, Melbourne, with a total net Nettable area of 36,500 sq. m. and some 1,200 staff in 38 tenancies, ranging in size from two to 150 staff.

As the result of a waste audit and staff education undertaken by Corporate Environmental Management (GEM), a total of 15 recommendations were made in July, 1994, for reducing waste production at the Colliers Jardine head office.

( Is the project on track?) ( To what extent has Colliers Jardine minimised waste? ) ( Summary of outcomes )

Process Undertaken

Keys to the success of a waste minimisation strategy were identified as ensuring the willing involvement of a majority of tenancies; providing a comprehensive environmental education for staff; and implementing simple but effective reduce, reuse and recycle initiatives.

Initial staff involvement was encouraged through a questionnaire aimed at encouraging awareness about the waste minimisation project, stimulating their participation and achieving feedback on potential strategies.

A Waste Minimisation Committee was formed with representatives from each the buildings 38 tenants. Initially meeting on a weekly basis, the Committee acted as focal point for creating 'ownership' of the project, and in the development of staff education and waste reduction strategies. Meetings were facilitated by a consultant from CEM.

Thirty minute education sessions were held by CEM with the staff of each tenant, along the theme of what is waste minisnisation and why it is important, both at the local and global scale.

A night audit was. undertaken to assess the main sources and types of waste. Large quantities of unnecessary waste were identified. With input from the questionnaire feedback, CEM devised a list of reduction, reuse and recycle initiatives. It needs to be noted that many of the initiatives identified were already occurring in some of the tenancies. What CEM was able to do was document these initiatives and promote their widespread usage throughout 459 Collins St.

In carrying out the audit, CEM found that a signifilcant amount of electrical equipment was left on overnight, particularly photocopiers and computers.

As a crucial step in reducing waste at the source, a letter was sent to all the tenants' suppliers asking them to provide a list of all environmentally responsible products they handled. ( Summary of outcomes )

Monitoring of the process is carried out by the Waste Minimisation Committee which continues to meet (???) on a regular, monthly basis. CEM also monitors an a (???) basis to ensure continuity. A regular information bulletin is circulated (???) to tenants informing them of waste initiatives under investigation or in the process of implementation. (Is monitoring occuring to ensure that the changes made actually achieve savings ?)

Changes Made and Savings

( Listing of changes made; any costs invoked in implementation; measured savings in $ terms or as percentages.)

Reduction

A major source of waste was the 600 km of non-recyclable paper hand towels thrown out at an annual cost of $39,500. The alternative recommended was the provision of a newly-designed retractable cotton dispenser, which is widely used in hospitals and has a reputation for being extremely hygenic. Installed free of charge by Alsco Linen Service at a rental of $3.50 per roll. Estimated savings are (???)
In reducing office paper waste, it was recommended that tenants train staff in how to apply the double-sided photocopying facility. Many staff were found to be unaware of this function on their photocopiers.
Introduction of environmentally sensitive laser printers which do not require laser cartridges, 30,000 tonnes of which are disposed of annually in Australia.
Promotion of the use of e-mail facilities on computers, combined with the use of a circulation folder, aimed at reducing the profligate production of memo's on paper.
Introduction of worm farms in each tenancy to dispose of organic waste.
Replacement of disposable polystyrene, plastic or paper cups with with ceramic mugs or glasses.
Purchase of refillable pens, pencils and highlighters.

Reuse

Encouraging, wherever possible, the reuse of all single-sided paper by placing collection boxes next to photocopiers and plain paper fax machines. Reuse manilla folders by turning them inside out.

Recycle

An aim was to achieve separation of recyclables at source in each office, particularly papers, as once it is contaminated with food waste, for instance, it cannot be recycled.
Implementation of a comprehensive paper recycling system was put in the hands of Visy Recycling. To aid individual input, desk trays were provided to each staff member along with a 240 litre bin for every office. While the staff were responsible for emptying their individual trays, the cleaners were made responsible for the bins. ( Results???)
Implementation in every office of dedicated bins for the recycling of glass, aluminium cans and PET plastics. Again, to ensure follow-through, the bin collection is the responsibility of the cleaners.
Purchase of recycled laser cartridges and printer ribbons, where applicable.

Costs and Payback

Most cost savings were passed directly onto the tenants through a reduction in the tenants' levy, thereby providing an incentive to participate in the introduction of waste minimisation measures.

( Inc. Total Capital Costs and Total Savings )
( Estimated payback times where there are upfront capital outlays )

Employment

A consultant from CEM was employed for (???) weeks to initiate the waste minimisation strategy. A CEM representative attends the Waste Minimisation Cornmittee meetings and spends (???) hours per month working with the committee on projects, providing support, information and monitoring.

The chairman of the Waste Minimisation Committee spends (???) hours per month on environmental matters.

Some cost savings were used to extend the hours of one of the cleaners by one hour per day. This enables the cleaner to collect recyclables from each tenant on a nightly basis.

(Any jobs generated - either part-time, full-time, consultancies, suppliers or contractors )

Participation

Staff involvement in the drafting and implementing of waste minimisation strategies is regarded as crucial to the success of the project. All staff were encouraged to take part in the project and were provided with an opportunity to have a say.

There was a high response rate to the circulation of the questionnaire to approx. 800 employees. It acted as the initial point of information and as a means of gaining feedback.

Environmental education was based on learning through implementing practical actions to reduce wastes as recommended to the regular Waste Minimisation Committee meetings.

Further Plans

( What forward plans exist? Over what time period )
( Listing of future plans )

Implementing waste reduction strategies when carrying out office re-fits. RRRC is investigating what can be done about the approx. 10,000 fluorescent tubes which are replaced annually at 459 Collins St. No recycling systems exist for fluorescent tubes.

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