Environmental and Energy Policy

Introduction

The Memorial recognises community and government expectations for Commonwealth agencies to be environmentally accountable. The Memorial is committed to operating in a manner that limits pollution, minimises risks to human health and the environment, and to continually reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and any negative environmental impacts associated with it’s operations.

The Memorial recognises that efficient and responsible energy use practices can realise significant energy savings and associated cost reductions. This Instruction provides policy guidelines on how the Memorial will meet its obligations under Commonwealth energy and environmental policy.

Instruction

Environmental Management System

The Memorial will use the Guidelines for Section 516A reporting - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 developed by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA). The AWM Energy and Enviromental Policy will be specifically structured and designed to help reduce environmental impacts through continuous improvement in our environmental and energy management. This will lead to improvements in our environmental performance and deliver ‘bottom line’ benefits through reduced operating costs.

Scope

This policy covers all activities at the Memorial properties in Campbell and Mitchell ACT comprising public buildings, office space, conservation storage and workshops, and grounds.

Environmental Priorities

The Memorial will aim to minimise its negative environmental impact by:

• Establishing an Energy and Environment Committee (EEC) to oversee the Memorial’s energy and environmental policies and practices, and promote best practice initiatives to staff;
• Taking into account all relevant environmental legislation, regulations and applicable government policies relating to energy and the environment;
• Sourcing energy in line with Whole of Government (WOG) policies and initiatives;
• Systematically compiling and analysing energy consumption data to develop strategies to reduce energy consumption;
• Reducing energy intensity through both technical and staff based initiatives and the use of renewable energy technology where cost effective;
• Ensuring all new equipment is Energy Star (power saving) compliant and rated 4 stars or better under the appliance labelling scheme;
• Engendering environmental awareness amongst our employees, contractors and the community and working together to achieve agreed environmental outcomes through consultation and communication by the EEC;
• Implementing effective environmental management practices to protect the environment and prevent or limit pollution from activities under the Memorial’s control;
• Reducing, reusing, repairing and recycling resources to ensure waste minimisation at every level of the organisation;
• Implementing practical initiatives to conserve water;
• Incorporating ecologically sustainable development principles into the design, construction and operation of new facilities; and,
• Monitoring the Memorial’s progress towards sustainable development on a regular basis and reporting both internally and to our stakeholders.

Responsibility

This Instruction is a key part of the Memorial’s commitment to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The Assistant Director, Corporate Services through the Head, Buildings and Services is responsible for ensuring this Instruction is implemented and reviewed as required.