Wednesday 5 October 2011

Tenants seek energy efficiency

Adelaide Advertiser
4 Oct 2011, Page: 23

Solar energy company Zen Home Energy Systems says rising energy prices and falling solar system costs are encouraging commercial property owners to tap into solar power. Zen Home Energy chief executive Richard Turner said the commercial property sector had traditionally been slow to adopt solar power, believing it to be too expensive to retrofit existing buildings. "However, things have changed in recent times", he said, "which will now make solar power more attractive to the commercial sector".

Mr Turner said the solar industry would be further supported by the Federal Government's Clean Energy Future program which will allocate $200 million to helping Australian businesses in food and beverage processing, metal forging and foundries industries improve energy efficiency. Zen Home Energy's recently completed projects include the installation of 156 solar panels at Lake Breeze Wines in Langhorne Creek. It says the power generated is expected to reduce emissions by up to 100 tonnes a year.

Knight Frank state managing director Peter McVann said the solar push was part of a growing trend towards greener workplaces. "The Adelaide marketplace is continually evolving with the latest impetus towards more energy efficient and sustainable properties", he said. "Tenants, government and private, are accepting that they have a social responsibility for a greener and more energy efficient environment".

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