Eco Audit

Micheline: Check out this link for analyzing homes www.bpi.org

One very simple and visual method of eco auditing for small to medium businesses from Europe is "Eco-mapping". http://www.ecomapping.org/en/index.html It has a "bottom-up" approach by engaging all staff in drawing very basic maps of the site (what we Aussies call "mud-maps") and mark on them all places where water and energy is used, waste produced, noise / fumes created, contaminated soil and potential risks. Staff are encouraged to suggest where improvements (eg saving water / recycling) can be made. Issues on poor practice or non-compliance are marked on the maps. An action plan can then be drawn up to form a basic Environment Management System. This forms a strong foundation to create an EMS that conforms with ISO 14001 if need be and can be done in 10 pages! The University is considering it as a teaching method in their Environment Management classes.

Thanks
Bryce Routley

Eco-Efficiency Projects Officer
Environment Protection Authority
Level 8, SA Water House,
77 Grenfell St Adelaide SA 5000
Phone (08) 8463 3707
Mobile 0403 209 335
Fax (08) 8124 4673
[email protected]

Micheline,

I am about to embark on this exercise for the school I work for at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, Australia. A model I am using is the Clearwater Inc organisation, full title: Case Study: Carbon Audit of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. The website address is: http://www.clearwater.org/carboncase.html. I found the paper audit particularly interesting, as paper usage and recycling are major issues for a university. They have a calculator as well. I will be interested in following the thread on your inquiry to learn more, especially about statistically valid sampling methods as I cannot measure things on a daily basis.

Cheers,
Patrick

In Australia, we have a national standard, as detailed on the following page (which is a Masters level subject at the University of New South Wales). Hope that helps. http://72.14.235.104/u/theuniversityofnewsouthwales?q=cache:IFY-ELuxVBUJ:
www.ies.unsw.edu.au/current/2002%2520elective%2520forms/SESC9761.
doc+audit&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&ie=UTF-8 For more info, you might want to directly contact the Course Coordinators whose details are on that page.

cheers,
Kat

Katherine Miller
Western Australia Coordinator
Threatened Species Network
WWF-Australia
PO Box 4010 Wembley WA 6014
Tel: (08) 9387 6444
Fax: (08) 9387 6180
Email: [email protected]

Hi Micheline and Patrick,

Have a look at our web site: http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/www/html/1517-home-page.asp
It contains a lot of information about resource efficiency, energy conservation, recycling, etc. and may assist you with your programs.

Regards
John

John Osborne
Renewables, Sustainability Victoria
T: 03 8626 8783
F: 03 9663 1007
Level 28, Urban Workshop,
50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 3000
www.sustainability.vic.gov.au