Garry Gray, Queensland’s State operations manager for Fuji Xerox Australia, said, “The relocation has been about discovering new ways to work together, smarter and greener amongst the Brisbane-based teams.
“A key objective was to create an environmentally sustainable office. The sustainability consultant helped guide Fuji Xerox in taking all steps necessary to achieve our sustainability goal, including developing a tenant guide to help occupants make the most of the environmental features and ensuring 80 per cent of construction waste was separated out for reuse and recycling.
Fuji Xerox staff received guides on staying green during their working week. Advice included turning off the lights at end of the day, catching public transport, walking or riding to work instead of driving, turning off the vending machine overnight, turning off computers when leaving work, turning off the printer at end of the day, and taking the stairs instead of the lift.
Brisbane’s Fuji Xerox team are also being encouraged to take their own mugs to the onsite café at the new premises. Gray said, “It may not save energy, but each person will produce a 1/30th of the waste compared to choosing a disposable cup.”
The relocation has encouraged team members to rethink their transport approach. Kim Aitken, services delivery manager, who lives 25km away from the new office, intends to cycle the final five kilometres, saving a possible 33kg of CO2 each day. He said, “I’m a bit of a fitness freak, with a young child, so this allows me to squeeze my fitness commitments into my schedule as well as contributing positively to the environment.” Christine Mullins, business development executive is now walking to work. She said, “I live just under a kilometre from the new office and I’m an active person who likes to stay healthy. All in all its better for the environment and my fitness levels to leave the car at home.”
Other initiatives include using joinery constructed of EO1 board, certified to be low formaldehyde; low VOC paints used throughout; blinds installed to assist in controlling day light glare; screen monitor arms provided at workstations as required; metering installed to monitor energy intensive areas; C-bus and sensor lighting system installed allowing individual zones to be controlled; high efficiency fixtures installed; AELA certified, Schievello workstations; Gregory task chairs selected for their high eco-preferred content, design for reuse/disassembly, and product stewardship; a high building efficiency when tenancy is completely fitted out; the cleaners use environmentally friendly cleaning products; and bins in the kitchen for general waste, aluminium cans and plastic and glass recycling.
Fuji Xerox Australia also produces an independently assured, annual sustainability report on its activities, with recent targets of zero waste to landfill by 2010, and 100 per cent green power by 2011.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter
