Energy

Our approach

Since 2005, ANZ has reported on energy reduction against public targets. We monitor performance against both absolute and normalised (per FTE) consumption and seek to implement new initiatives as part of an overall performance improvement strategy focused on meeting both our targets and business needs.

ANZ spends approximately $21 million on electricity in Australia each year and our global use of electricity generates around 240,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas. Reduction of our energy consumption will benefit the environment whilst reducing costs to our business.  

ANZ’s energy-management strategy is focused on:

  • reducing energy use in our major commercial buildings and across our retail branch network
  • introducing initiatives and processes to encourage energy savings in the use of technology and at our data centres
  • ensuring environmental sustainability is a core consideration of all new ANZ properties (including leased properties) and refurbishments of existing buildings.

Central to this strategy is the accessibility to good quality data (through sub-metering of electricity in our buildings), to implement continuous improvement. Annual budgets include specific allocation of funds to energy efficiency works.

How we are reducing electricity consumption

Constructing more sustainable and energy efficient offices

ANZ Centre, our new global headquarters at 833 Collins Street in Melbourne's Docklands precinct is home to 6,500 staff. It has been widely recognised as one of the world's most environmentally innovative workplaces in the financial sector. ANZ Centre is designed to produce 70 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions than a standard commercial office building and will generate some of its own electricity using an on-site tri-generation plant, pv (solar) cells and small-scale wind turbines. 

We are applying similar environmental requirements in our approach to identifying suitable commercial offices as ANZ grows across the region.  In Singapore, we have recently moved into a new office building which has been granted Singapore’s highest environmental rating – ‘Green Mark’ Platinum and are seeking a ‘Green Mark’ Gold rating for our tenancy, as supported by our in-country environmental management system (EMS).  

In Brisbane, we will move into a new ‘6 Star Green Star’ design rated office building in early 2012 in which we are aiming for a ‘5 star NABERS Energy’ (National Australian Built Environmental Rating System) tenancy rating. It is estimated that moving into this new, more efficient Brisbane office will reduce our Australian emissions by 500 tonnes annually.  

In Sydney, we are scheduled to move into a new development in mid-2013. The property has been awarded a ‘6 Star Green Star’ office design rating. This new building will include environmentally sustainable design features and significantly improved work spaces that draw on the learnings and successes of the ANZ Centre in Docklands
EEO Verification

In 2010 ANZ was selected by the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (DRET) to participate in an ‘Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) Verification Exercise’ to assess our compliance with the Energy Efficiency Opportunities Act. The exercise recognised ANZ as demonstrating best practice in our approach to:

  • The development of energy use performance objectives.
  • The allocation of resources to the achievement of energy use performance objectives.
  • The communication between the Board and relevant ANZ personnel in regards to the review and subsequent signing of EEO reports.

As a result of the Verification findings, ANZ has also been able to improve both EEO and energy management documentation to assist with the EEO reporting process.
Reducing energy use for After Hours Air Conditioning

In 2011, ANZ introduced a new guideline for after-hours air-conditioning with the aim of reducing cost and energy consumption in commercial buildings.  It has been estimated that between 30-40% of a building’s energy use is as a direct result of the building's heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system and, as such, after-hours air-conditioning can substantially impact building energy use.

The revised approach is designed to strike a balance between good building management, emissions reductions and business requirements. The guideline has equal applicability to leased and owned premises.

 

 

2011 results

Australia

Premises energy consumption per FTE in Australia decreased 8% between 2009 and 2011 exceeding our 6% target. This was largely due to an excellent result in commercial building energy use which decreased by 12% through a combination of the move to ANZ Centre in Melbourne, (from more energy intensive buildings), alongside a A$4m capital investment program enabling operational improvements at other sites. Energy efficiency works have been focused on improvements to thermal metering, Building Control Management Systems, plant rooms and shut-off dampers, as well as the review of air-conditioning start-up and shut-down times.

Premises energy consumption - Australia

New Zealand

Premises energy consumption per FTE in New Zealand decreased 4% between 2009 and 2011 exceeding the 2.5% target. A combination of factors was responsible for this result including improved energy management at data centres, reduced office space in Wellington, and energy efficiency gains across both the commercial and retail property portfolios.

Premises energy consumption - New Zealand

2010 results

Australia

Premises energy consumption per FTE has increased +3% primarily due to the overlap between our exit from previous Melbourne tenancies and the move to the ANZ Centre, alongside growth in energy consumption at the Data Centres. An Energy Efficiency program is currently underway in ANZ’s commercial and retail properties which will involve both capital and operational expenditure investment.

Energy consumption - Australia

New Zealand

Electricity consumed per FTE has increased 3% on 2009 levels due to opening of and transition to our new data centre. This growth was anticipated and planned initiatives during 2011 will reduce premises energy intensity.

Electricity consumption - New Zealand

The future

Future initiatives include:

Australia:

  • The prioritisation of the 2010-2011 Energy Efficiency OPEX and CAPEX works program to focus on those projects that will produce the greatest energy savings.
  • Investigations into ways to reduce the technology energy load within ANZ premises.
  • Further work to isolate, reduce or relocate the requirement for after hours air-conditioning at commercial and retail sites.

New Zealand:

  • The movement of further technology equipment to the new data centre and increasing capacity at this site.
  • The focus on energy savings from using smart relay (meter) technology in the New Zealand branches.

2009 results

ANZ has achieved four years of consecutive energy reductions per FTE in Australia. This includes achieving our two year environmental footprint target to reduce electricity consumption by 5% in Australia.

Our Australian operations achieved a 2% reduction per FTE for electricity in 2009, and a 6% reduction over two years, exceeding our two year target of a 5% reduction.

Australia

Energy results - Australia

In New Zealand, while our absolute electricity consumption decreased by 3% in 2009, consumption per FTE increased by 3%.

New Zealand

Energy results - New Zealand

Over the two years to September 2009 electricity consumption per FTE at our New Zealand operations decreased by 1%.

Electricity consumed in India decreased by 6% in India. See note to India data 

The future

ANZ has set a target to reduce premises energy per FTE by 6% in Australia and 2.5% in New Zealand by September 2011.

We are using a premises energy rather than an electricity consumption target to allow for the fact that a large proportion of energy consumed at our new Melbourne headquarters will be sourced from an onsite tri-generation plant which will convert gas to electricity.

Initiatives towards our target will include:

  • the generation and use of renewable energy at our new global headquarters in Melbourne, ANZ Centre, utilising 1,000 square metres of solar cells and roof mounted wind turbines
  • more efficient air conditioning processes through the use of cool water from the Yarra River, reducing the demand on the cooling towers
  • smart technology to reduce power consumption, such as 'wave to print' technology, which prints requests only when the sender is there to retrieve it
  • motion sensor power in meeting rooms, automatic power saving modes on all telephones, and shared multi-function energy efficient equipment to reduce the number of powered devices in use
  • smart meters in an additional 18 branches across Australia (bringing the total number of branches with meters to 36) selected for a broad range of layouts, size and age. Findings from the data captured by these meters will be factored into designs for all new branches and the maintenance and refurbishment of our existing branches
  • detailed monitoring and analysis of building operating hours and usage, leading to site-specific remediation to better align lighting and air conditioning operating hours to actual demand
  • awareness campaigns for all staff to highlight the energy efficiency features of our new global headquarters and by promoting energy-efficient behaviour
  • reducing the number of servers operating in our data centres to make them more energy-efficient. ‘Virtual’ online servers will, where possible, replace physical servers to reduce demand on data centre power and reduce cooling consumption and carbon emissions.

2008 results

ANZ has achieved three years of consecutive energy reductions per FTE in Australia and New Zealand. In 2008 we have achieved a further reduction of 4% per FTE for electricity. This makes ANZ Australia well placed to meet the target of a 5% reduction target by the end of September 2009.

Our New Zealand operations also decreased their consumption by 3% per FTE over the past year. This has played an integral part in meeting the overall target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the period ending 2008.

Australia - Energy Consumption

New Zealand - Energy Consumption

The future

ANZ will continue to aim for a 5% reduction in electricity consumption over the current two-year period in both Australia and New Zealand. In Australia the focus will be on developing new initiatives based on the smart meter information available in the branches and the commercial sites. In New Zealand, we are introducing the PC Snoozer initiative - an energy saving mode which 'powers down' PCs when they are not in use and over weekends.

 

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