Sydney Scheme to Go Green and Cut Greenhouse Gases

It's the capital of New South Wales and Australia's biggest city.  But now Sydney is also becoming known for its pro-active approach to environmental management.

The mayor of Sydney has won the agreement of 14 companies from the central business district, or CBD, to embrace a future energy plan.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore is optimistic about the outcome since the group of companies own up to 60 percent of the city's office space. 

[Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney]: 

"It has happened in London and it has happened in Toronto and it's been very effective. But it's a first for Australia."

The companies and the city council signed a memorandum of understanding last Thursday.

The plan targets water and electricity usage and waste.

[Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney]: 

"It's really good for the business community too, because it's about reducing costs, it's about reducing emissions and it's about providing new opportunities."

The plan will start with the construction of trigeneration power plants. They'll run in the CBD using natural gas-powered engines.

The engines will also trap surplus heat, and use it to heat water and power air conditioning.

Bruce Precious is chairman of the group representing the 14 companies.

[Bruce Precious, Sustainability Manager, Better Buildings Project]: 

"By building the power station closer to buildings we can extract energy not only to turn it into electricity, we can extract thermal energy that has potential to be used in buildings."

Along with the trigeneration plants, buildings are being fitted with shade systems to make the most of natural light. 

Solar paneling is also being installed.

The system will eventually pump recycled water and waste around the city.

[Bruce Precious, Sustainability Manager, Better Buildings Project]: 

"On the waterfront there's significant consumers in CBD buildings, there's still toilet flushing and used in cooling towers. We don't need to use drinking water in those services."

Bruce Precious says such incentives are crucial to persuading businesses to embrace future plans for innovation.

By signing the memorandum of understanding with the city of Sydney, the companies hope the New South Wales state government will change laws making the sale of power easier.