INTHEBLACK June 2022 - Magazine - Page 64
WORK SMART
// T E C H TA L K
STORY GLENN REES
TECH TOOLS
FOR A GREENER
BUSINESS
Philips Hue system
WITH THE RI G H T TECH NO L O G Y, ORGA N I SAT I ON S CA N H E LP T H E E N V I RON M E N T
AND S O CI ETY – AND A D D VA LUE TO T HE B US I N ES S, TOO.
B
usinesses’ environmental and social
credentials have become increasingly
important for consumers, employees
and investors.
For example, nearly half of the Australian
consumers surveyed in a Mastercard study
say they actively avoid shopping at businesses
that don’t source their products sustainably.
Results of the same study indicate that of
the Australians either actively looking for or
considering new employment, almost half say
they will not work for an employer that does
not have an active sustainability plan in place.
Environmental, social and governance
(ESG) has quickly become an important
business discipline – and there are rewards
for companies that get it right.
Investment in ESG-focused funds globally
has more than doubled in two years,
64 ITB June 2022
according to Refinitiv Lipper data. Consumer
sentiment has been evolving, too – nearly
three-quarters of Australian consumers
surveyed by BBC World News are happy to
pay more for brands with strong sustainability
and eco-friendly practices.
In fact, McKinsey has identified several
ways ESG can create value – including cost
reductions by cutting energy usage and
waste. Unlocking this value isn’t easy, but
as with most modern business challenges,
technology can help.
OPTIMISE ENERGY USAGE
Starting with the easier wins, even the
smallest business can save on its power bills
with a few simple changes – such as installing
LED light bulbs. Smart lighting systems such
as Philips Hue allow you to further reduce
energy usage by programming lights to turn
on, off or dim, depending on human activity.
With smart thermostats and air conditioning
controllers from the likes of Tado, you can
optimise your heating and cooling based
on ambient temperatures, the time of day
and other factors.
Smart home hubs such as Google Nest and
Amazon Echo can centralise your control of
smart lighting and other compatible devices.
For larger businesses, the likes of
Honeywell and Schneider Electric offer smart
room controllers that can automate lighting
and optimise heating, ventilating and air
conditioning (HVAC) systems.
These controllers can connect to a building
management system (BMS) that also can
also collect data from internet of things (IoT)
sensors around new or retrofitted buildings.