National Energy Efficiency Awards 2017

PRESS RELEASE
Corporate leadership, individual excellence and energy efficiency innovation have been recognised and awarded at the National Energy Efficiency Awards 2017.
Hosted by the Energy Efficiency Council (EEC), the awards were announced at the National Energy Efficiency Conference 2017 Gala Dinner in Melbourne last night.
The following winners represent the very best in industrial, commercial and government efficiency, demand response and cogeneration:
Best Industrial Energy Efficiency Project 2017
Winner: Toll – Nike Energy Efficiency Upgrade
The Nike warehouse was upgraded as part of Toll’s Smarter Green program. This project included the rewiring and reprogramming of each conveyor section to automatically identify product/cartons in the system adding new barcode scanners and conveyor blade stops. It is estimated the productivity and throughput efficiency of the conveyor system increased by 25%, as well as delivering energy savings of 18%. The project also saw a redesign of the lighting for the site, replacing more than 1300 fittings with LED technology including highbays, ailse bays and in rack luminaires.
Best Innovation in Energy Efficiency 2017
Winner: MATRIXX® – an intelligent LED lighting platform
Vivid Industrial has developed an intelligent, energy efficient, lighting and service solution for the industrial and commercial markets. The unique Australian designed and manufactured, MATRIXX® technology has demonstrated its capability as a highly effective “industrial internet of things” lighting platform, consistently generating benchmarked energy savings in excess of 80%, significantly reducing energy cost and life-cycle environmental impact.
Best Energy Savings Program 2017
Winner: Victorian Government – Victorian Energy Upgrades
Victorian Energy Upgrades is a Victorian Government program providing households and businesses with access to discounted energy-saving products and upgrades through accredited providers. Formerly known as the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target (VEET) scheme, it is Australia’s largest and longest-running energy efficiency obligation scheme. In 2017, energy retailers are being asked to help reduce Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions by 5.9 million tonnes through energy efficiency. The target increases each year and will be 6.5 million tonnes in 2020.
Highly commended: NSW Government –  Energy Saver for Business
Best Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Project 2017
Winner: Enhancing energy efficiency at the MCG
Melbourne Cricket Club partnered with Siemens to deliver an innovative Energy Performance Contract (EPC) to improve the energy efficiency of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) – the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere. During 2014-2015, the EPC drove the upgrade of existing practices as well as the installation of innovative efficiency systems at the stadium. Specific objectives were to cut water use at the ground by 5 per cent, reduce CO2 equivalent carbon emissions by 19 per cent annually and result in a utility cost saving of 20 per cent each year. The work the MCC and Siemens have undertaken has delivered tangible sustainability results that have greatly exceeded expectations and cemented the MCG’s status as one of the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly stadiums in the world.
Leading Energy User 2017 – Category proudly supported by the Energy Users Association of Australia
Winner: Unity Water
Providing customers with high quality, safe and reliable water and sewerage collection and treatment services demands a great deal of energy-hungry pumping and Unity Water’s annual cost of electricity is second only to that of staff. The program was designed to bank sustainable year-on-year energy savings and to foster change across the business, making energy-efficient operation a part of business-as-usual, and reducing Unity Water’s overall electricity bill by 19% by June 2018