DELWP – Energy and Water Audits

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is a Victorian State Government department, which supports Victoria’s natural and built environment to ensure economic growth and liveable, sustainable and inclusive communities.

DELWP’s facility portfolio consists of more that 170 sites and almost 3,000 staff located across Victoria, and is committed to improving its environmental performance across all operations.  Previously, DELWP had undertaken energy and water audits across a sample of its sites.  Up-to-date and comprehensive energy and water audits were required to inform an implementation program.

Summary

CarbonetiX was engaged by DELWP to conduct Type 3 audits across Victoria, including consumption sites at Heidelberg, Ballarat and Bendigo.  Numerous energy and water reduction measures were identified for each site, with all opportunities presented in detailed individual site reports.  Following completion of the reports, CarbonetiX advised DELWP on specific aspects of project implementation.

Objectives

  • Identify practical and innovative energy and water efficiency opportunities
  • Evaluate baseline utility data to identify trends and anomalies
  • Identify efficiency improvements at each site, including costs and predicted annual savings
  • Inform of the wider social, environmental and economic factors
  • Formulate findings in a detailed report for each site
  • Deliver a project findings to key stakeholders

Results

CarbonetiX indentified a range of measures to reduce energy and water consumption at 12 DELWP facilities.  These opportunities included lighting and HVAC upgrades, control optimisation, refrigerant-to-hot-water heat recovery, building envelope improvements, water efficiency retrofits and rain water harvesting.  Overall, opportunities were projected to realise:

  • Total cost savings of over $150,000 per annum
  • An electrical energy reduction of 28% and water reduction of 12%
  • Avoidance of 288,000 kWh of grid-sourced electricity, through harnessing solar energy
  • ROIs ranging from less than 1 year to longer-term investments

Next Steps

DELWP plan to construct a project delivery program for the range of measures proposed.  CarbonetiX has provided advice on suggested ways to implement measures to realise the full benefits described in the audits.  Recommended actions include:

  • Design and specification for major mechanical services upgrades
  • Implement lighting upgrades as ‘all-in-one’ projects
  • Apply innovation through implementation of refrigerant-to-hot-water heat recovery
  • Undertake solar feasibility wort at all sites audited to determine optimal sizing

Shelly Frankly, Environmental Projects Officer said: “I have been impressed with the work produced by the team at CarbonetiX.  They have identified practical and innovative solutions to assist us to better manage our energy and water consumption across 12 of our sites.  The audits have provided valuable information about facility levl issues.  We are currently looking to implement many of the key recommendations, and look forward to the environment and financial savings.”