Energy and material assessment, Australian style

Initial investment costs can discourage SMEs from choosing to pursue sustainability as a business strategy; the vague long-term benefits and payback on the investment might not seem worth it. And the green sector is vulnerable to changes in government policy, which could adversely affect ongoing sustainability efforts, leading to uncertainty.

Ecogate ... taking full control

• Expert advice and dedicated environmental funding scheme pave the way for costly energy-saving upgrade
• Investment in controller system and 

W.J. White Ltd. produces wooden furniture using dust-control machines that ran at full speed regardless of the working conditions. The owner was introduced to an energy saving specialist who recommended installing a smart control system, called Ecogate greenBOX12+.

From rags to rugs...

• Jeans company values its product's full life cycle
• It provides information on how to care for its products, sourcing, recycling and reuse options  

Swedish denim label Nudie Jeans provides detailed information and recommendations to its customers regarding the environmental impact of its products, including cotton, buttons, rivets, and leather.

Extending the lifetime of a product (asset) has a number of environmental advantages: less resource extraction, less energy embedded (the direct and indirect energy required to produce goods plus the energy needed to source and process raw materials they contain) and less waste generated. Maintaining the first-life use of a product as long as possible is the best approach to cut overall resource use. 

Two key factors determine a product's lifetime: the way it is designed and built, and whether consumers choose to properly maintain (repair) or to replace it.

A relatively new management role, sustainability officers are top executives who determine how a company or organisation can best address environmental sustainability issues. Specifically, they may be responsible for the creation, development and management of sustainability policies and programmes in line with both corporate objectives and environmental regulations.

Baby clothes for the sharing generation

• Innovative baby clothes subscription and sharing system saves resources
• Reusing and ultimatley recycling clothes is at the heart of the circular economy 

Circular economy thinking is the cornerstone of the Danish baby clothes brand Vigga. Baby clothes like romper suits that end up in the attic after only a few wears waste money and valuable resources. Vigga came up with a sustainable solution: a subscription service for baby clothes.

Say cheese!

• Cheese factory uses more sustainable filtration process
• Results in better product quality, less costs and reduced chemical use

Immersion of cheese in brine is an important step in the production process to ensure taste and optimal storage life. The Austrian company Pantreon was looking for a more efficient filtration process for its products.

Environmental and social benefits rolled into one