Events and News for Far North Queensland:

Doing Business with Hong Kong Forum
Monday 5 March 2012, 10 am to 12pm at Shangrlia Hotel, The Pier, Cairns. FREE EVENT
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Sydney and Trade and Investment Queensland invite you to attend a Doing Business with Hong Kong Forum. The Hong Kong Government is investing HK$21.6 billion (approximately A$3 billion) to develop the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) into a vibrant art and cultural centre, offering a range of opportunities for Queensland firms from architectural design, landscaping and public arts creation to energy efficiency design and planning.

This forum will give you the opportunity to learn about the business opportunities in Hong Kong and using it as a gateway into mainland China and the region;  meet representatives from HKETO and Trade and Investment Queensland;  receive updates on Trade and Investment Queensland’s upcoming initiatives for the East Asia region.

For more information please download the attached flyer strong 'Doing Business with Hong Kong Forum' or contact Amanda Russell via email at amanda.russell@trade.qld.gov.au or phone on 07 3405 3894 by Wednesday 29 February 2012.

How to renovate your home for energy and water efficiency: free public event by the TGBN
Wednesday 14th March 2012, 5.30pm to 7.15 pm at the Cairns City Library, Abbott Street.
If you're wondering how to improve energy and water efficiency in your home, this event is for you. Find out from a panel of local experts what your best options are for improving ventilation, keeping your home naturally cool, re-using greywater, using solar energy and more. Download more information on the event HERE. For further details email Anna McGuire.

Member survey
Please take a moment to complete the short online member survey. It will only take you a couple of minutes, and will help us to improve the TGBN for this year and beyond. Thanks!

Attend TGBN meetings virtually
Over the past year we have been trialling the use of web conferencing programs to link with TGBN members who live outside of Cairns and are unable to physically attend meetings. If you're interested in joining TGBN meetings and presentations virtually, send an email to sustainability@cafnec.org.au.

Cairns Ideas2Market Masterclass workshop
Thursday 15 March, 9am-5pm, Shangri La Hotel, Cairns
$110 per person
A comprehensive guide to strategically growing your business. The Ideas2Market Masterclass workshop is designed for existing businesses that are looking to grow, improve and foster sustainability. It will help you determine the best growth strategy for your business, and show you how to manage that growth when it happens.

To register visit the website.

Green Star Foundation Course
Thursday 29 March 2012, Cairns: Venue TBA.
$550 per person for GBCA Members, $800 per person for Non-members
The Green Star Foundation Course is GBCA's flagship course, and replaces our Green Star Accredited Professional course starting from July 2010.
In this full day course you will learn the fundamentals of Green Star, and take the important first step toward becoming a Green Star Accredited Professional or Green Star Associate. More information is available online.

Announcements:

Formation of a Construction and Demolition Waste working group:
A new working group of the TGBN will be formed to focus on construction and demolition waste issues. With the introduction of the new waste levy by the State Government in December 2011 and the knowledge that 'much of the C & D waste can be a recoverable resource’ the TGBN would like to move forward a regional strategy by planning for action on C&D waste recovery solutions inviting industry stakeholders, LAWMAC and the FNQ Regional Organisation of Councils to work together. Please see document deposit on the TGBN Forum relating to this work.

For further details and to be inlcuded in this work group please email Anna McGuire.

Cairns Regional Council releases 'Sustainable Tropical Building Design: Guidelines for Commercial Buildings'
As part of their new Sustainable Building Design framework, Council has recently developed a resource for sustainable building in the tropics. This publication, Sustainable Tropical Building Design: Guidelines for Commercial Buildings is also available on Council's website, and offers an overview of sustainable building design in a tropical climate, particularly for commercial buildings. To view the Guidelines, along with the Policy and Checklist that make up the framework, visit Council's website.

The Guidelines, Checklist and Policy are also available for download from the TGBN Forum library.

Opportunites:

Queensland Build & design Expo
9-11 May 2012, Brisbane
Queensland’s first trade expo for design, building and architecture aims to uncover and showcase leading advancements in sustainable design and tropical build materials. For more information visit http://www.bdqexpo.com.au/.

2012 Premier’s ClimateSmart Sustainability Awards
Nominations are now open for the 2012 Premier’s ClimateSmart Sustainability Awards which showcases the work of Queenslanders achieving excellence in sustainable practices. Award nominations are open to Queensland-based initiatives, businesses, communities, schools, individuals, not-for-profit organisations and local government areas that are implementing smart sustainable projects and helping to reduce our state’s carbon footprint. There is also a new award category for the 2012 Awards – the ClimateSmart Waste Reduction and Resource Efficiency Award – to recognise outstanding achievement in waste management.

Winners will be officially announced on Friday 8 June 2012 during Queensland week celebrations at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Apply online or call 3225 1764 for more information.

Advancing Tropical Green Build: Connecting Tropical North Queensland Capability to Market
Cummings Economics is undertaking a research project “Advancing Tropical Green Build: Connecting Tropical North Queensland Capability to Market” for the Department of Employment, Economic Development & Innovation (DEEDI).

Your business should register to participate if your business activities include:
* Any expertise that has been adapted or developed to meet the unique conditions of tropical environments in the delivery of your products and services.
* Use of processes which are environmentally responsible and resource efficient throughout the building's life cycle in the tropics.

There are clear benefits to your own business activities and North Queensland’s construction industry if you respond. The benefits are as follows:
* The project aims to recognise your capability and identify market opportunities, infrastructure needs, research and development opportunities and education and training needs to support future industry growth.
* The project aims to raise the profile of tropical green building. It will result in business development marketing collateral profiling your individual firm’s tropical green building capability to attract new business.
* The tropical green building sector is growing rapidly worldwide due to the scarcity of natural resources, rising costs of fossil fuel energy, rising material costs and climate change. The economic growth forecast for the tropical zone including India and South East Asia will lead to increased demand for innovative, climate resilient, energy efficient tropical green build solutions.
* Tropical North Queensland has an opportunity to establish itself as a worldwide hub for tropical green building as one of the world's most developed tropical regions.

Please take one minute to register your interest by going to: www.tropicalgreenbuild.com.au.
If you are aware of other businesses you believe may be interested, could you pass on this information and invite them to register.

Re-think waste and The Sustainable Futures Fund:

The Queensland Government proposes to use the new revenue raised from the waste levy to deliver programs that will improve Queensland’s waste and resource management practices, reduce the amount of regulated waste requiring disposal, enhance enforcement and compliance capability under the new legislation, and help secure a sustainable future for Queensland. This will involve directing the revenue collected from the waste disposal levy to a pool managed by DERM. The first priority for funds generated by the levy will be to create a dedicated Waste Avoidance and Resource Efficiency (WARE) Fund for waste-related programs and projects with a funding allocation of $159 million. An amount of $120 million will be provided to a new Sustainable Future Fund (SFF) where it will be used to assist in the delivery of local government waste and environmental programs. Residual funds of some $100 million will be provided to help support state government sustainability objectives outlined in Toward Q2: Tomorrow's Queensland.
For more information see: For the DERM fact sheet and other related information.

reThink Business Waste Services–$750 subsidy:

The reThink Business Waste Services (RBWS) Program provides a subsidy to businesses to help review existing waste management practices, identify changes and introduce a new resource recovery service. There is a 40 % rebate on purchases of bin equipment and awareness raising material from a catalogue of products available on the Local Buy website. This equipment will help businesses implement improved resource recovery systems. The RBWS Program is now open for applications. For more information about how to apply see: the reThink Business Waste Program.

Far North ClimateSmart Business Cluster: Climate Smart Savings for your Business - Join the cluster now!

Local consultancies, Green at Heart and The Missing Link Resource Co-ordinators are pleased to announce that they will be facilitating a ClimateSmart Business Cluster program for far north Queensland Businesses. Many people have participated in the much publicised ClimateSmart Home Service but until now the ClimateSmart Business program has not been available in Far North Queensland.

What is the Far North ClimateSmart Business Cluster?
The FNCBC will mentor businesses through a program to improve their businesses sustainability and will be an introduction to the financial benefits of eco-efficiency and is a gateway to ongoing sustainable business practices. The program is open to small businesses with up to 40 employees throughout the region. Support and mentoring will be provided for the duration of the program by expert sustainability consultants.

The FNCBC can accept 20 businesses to participate in the program which will commence in February 2012 and be completed in June 2012. The program is valued at $3300 but with government funding will be available to small businesses for only $330, an investment which is expected to be easily saved in the first year.

How do I register my business?
For more information see: Far North ClimateSmart Business Cluster. Those interested should register their interest before the 8 December 2011 by contacting Sophie Barrett or phoning 4038 3558 . Positions are limited and are filling fast.


Of Interest:

Sustainable Malanda: Dynamic Rural Village:

A 21st Century Model for a rural village in transition is presented in a 'Blueprint for the bush scoping document'. The 'Sustainable Malanda' community group is driving the work and seeking your comment. It is available on the TGBN forum site along with a feedback form.

What happens to our waste? Summary of recent waste tour:

The TGBN recently conducted a tour of the Cairns Regional Council waste facilites. A summary of what happens to our domestic waste and recycling and how the Bedminster works is also available on the TGBN forum site along with other information concerning construction and demolition waste.


Past details on TGBN News and Events can be found on the TGBN Forum including:

Waste Levy information session held by the HIA on 27th October:
From 1st December 2011 a levy will be payable by landfill operators disposing of waste in landfills. What does this mean for commercial, industrial, construction and demolition waste? The HIA/ re Think Waste Presentation by DERM is on the TGBN Forum.

Presentation by Nigel Crumpton, Waste Strategy/Business Coordinator, Cairns Regional Council to the TGBN meeting 2nd November 2011:
Theme: Construction and demolition waste and current waste management practices
Presentation on TGBN Forum library.

Presentation of 'The least house necessary' by Shaneen Fantin, People Oriented Design
Exploring examples of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous traditional architecture from tropical regions of northern Australia (from Darwin to Cairns). Presentation on TGBN Forum library.

Austropex Conference
This conference brought together specialists across the ten industry groups that make up the regional tropical expertise sector. The Built Environment session guest speakers were:

• Cairns Botanic Gardens Visitors Centre: Charles Wright, Charles Wright Architects
• Water Saving Strategies at William McCormack Place Stage 2: Carl Gray, MGF Consultants (NQ)
• Greenstar rating in the tropics: Edi Piagno, Total Project Group Architects
• Culture in Design: Indigenous social and cultural considerations in the design of built environments, Shaneen FantinPeople-Oriented Design: and Francoise Lane, Indij Design
• Home with 8-12 week build by local tradesmen, local suppliers, engineered for comfort, efficiency and affordability: James Mort, MiHaven Homes
• Photovoltaic roof sheeting, An Australian first: Daniel Leipnik, The Specialty Group

Links to the presentations can be found on the TGBN Forum:

World Green Building Week (19-23 September 2011)
Catch up on what happened for World Green Building Week.

The RICS Oceania released the following documents and papers that are available for viewing in the TGBN Forum online library:
* Greening Make Good Guide (Australia)
* Environmental Performance Clauses (Australia)
* Green Infrastructure in Urban Areas
* Valuation of Water as a Separate Resource
* Sustainability & the Property Lifecycle
* Carbon Management of Real Estate
* Vision for Cities Planning and Delivering urban infrastructure to achieve sustainable growth
* Embodied Carbon Calculations

Enter the TGBN Forum here.

Anna McGuire | Urban Sustainability Officer | Cairns and Far North Environment Centre
P: (07) 40321746 |M: 0434 955 424 | F: (07) 4053 3779
Cominos House, 27-29 Greenslopes Street, Edge Hill
P.O. Box 323N, Cairns North 4870