Australian Carbon Trust today announced the commencement of two of its national programs, with plans for building strategic relationships with major businesses and the wider community to retrofit non-residential buildings and certify their businesses, products and services under a new Carbon Neutral Program.  

The Australian Carbon Trust is now seeking Expressions of Interest from financial institutions, businesses and service providers, who wish to work with the Trust on energy efficiency projects in the non-residential buildings sector across Australia.

Professor Robert Hill, Chairman, Australian Carbon Trust said, “We welcome the provision of funding support from the Australian Government and are moving forward to forge successful relationships with Australian businesses to achieve energy savings, delivering business benefits and carbon reductions.

“This is another exciting step which will boost Australian business investment in the low carbon economy. This innovative program will achieve greater energy efficiency through retrofits of existing commercial buildings and will deliver significant energy and carbon savings,” he said.

According to the Energy Efficiency Council’s recent report ‘Energy Efficiency – Australia’s Low Carbon Opportunity’, a major retrofit of Australia’s commercial buildings over the next decade could save $1.4 billion a year, cut building emissions by 30 per cent, and create 27,000 jobs.

The Trust will also administer the Australian Government’s new Carbon Neutral Program under the National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS). 

Professor Hill welcomed the companies which have indicated they intend to participate in the Carbon Neutral Program, including: An Meá; Australian Paper; Australia Post; ANZ; Carbon Planet; Fosters; Jetstar; Keytek; Lion Nathan; Mystique; National Australia Bank; Origin; Printer Workz; Qantas; Sensis; Sustainable Living Fabrics; and Virgin Blue Airlines. 

“The Carbon Neutral Program will provide a benchmark for consumers and businesses to assess claims of carbon neutrality.  We welcome more Australian businesses to participate in the Carbon Neutral Program,” he said.   

Meg McDonald, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Carbon Trust said, “We are delighted to be working with these organisations, which are showing leadership and commitment to reduce and achieve carbon neutrality in their operations or for their selected products.  They are demonstrating to their clients and the wider community
that they are prepared to go the extra mile in helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” 

 
The Carbon Neutral Program is an initiative under the Australian Government’s National Carbon Offset Standard that will allow businesses to certify their products or operations as carbon neutral. The program commenced on 1 July 2010 and replaces the carbon neutral component of the long-standing Greenhouse Friendly™ program. The Trust will administer the NCOS Carbon Neutral Program on a cost recovery basis.

The National Carbon Offset Standard was released in November 2009 to provide national consistency and consumer confidence in the voluntary carbon market.  The Australian Government established the Australian Carbon Trust to promote energy efficiency measures to households and businesses to help all Australians to tackle climate change. Using its Commonwealth funding the Trust will leverage private sector finance to achieve measureable energy savings and carbon emission reductions in the built environment.

The Australian Carbon Trust was established by the Australian Government to encourage and promote take-up of energy efficient technologies and practices to help accelerate the move to a low carbon economy. To do this the Trust will work with businesses to showcase leading edge approaches to energy efficiency investment, initially by providing financing and advice for energy efficiency improvements through retrofitting of commercial buildings. 

 
For more information about the National Carbon Offset Standard or the Australian Carbon Trust visit www.climatechange.gov.au.
 
 
 7 July 2010