Environmental initiatives: towards triple-bottom line reporting

The objective of this study was to investigate the quantity and quality of voluntary environmental disclosures in the annual reports of firms listed by market capitalisation on the Australian Stock Exchange. The periods examined were those immediately prior and subsequent to the release of the Exposure Draft Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economics (CERES) Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) issued in March 1999. Using content analysis to focus on the environmental aspects, the study compared 425 annual reports over a two-year period and 60 environmental reports, in order to explore reporting practices in the periods surrounding this intervention. The results suggest a trend to triple-bottom reporting, and a significant change in the quality and quantity of environmental information, albeit in specific categories.

Environmental reporting initiatives: towards triple-bottom line reporting or the intergration of financial and environmental performance

This objective of this study was to investigate the quantity and quality of voluntary environmental disclosures in the annual reports of the top 500 firms listed by market capitalisation on the Australian Stock Exchange. The periods examined were those immediately prior and subsequent to the release of the Exposure Draft Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economics (CERES) Global Reporting Initiatives(GRI) issued in March 1999. Using content analysis to focus on the environmental aspects, and drawing heavily on the research of Gamble et al (1995), the study compared 425 annual reports over a two year period and 60 environmental reports, in order to explore reporting practices in the periods surrounding this intervention. The results suggest a trend to triple bottom reporting, and a significant change in the quality and quantity of environmental information, albeit in specific categories.

Environmental site assessment for abalone ranching on artificial reef

This study investigated the feasibility of ranching the abalone Haliotis rubra (Leach) and Haliotis laevigata (Donovan) on concrete artificial reefs at a site chosen by industry investors on silty bottom off Altona Beach, Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia. The study started from the premise that artificial reef deployment combined with abalone stock enhancement may achieve the dual purpose of habitat and stock improvement. It evaluated the hydrodynamics of the site in relation to artificial reef structural stability and drift algal transport, the development and ecology of the artificial reef assemblage, and abalone enhancement by seeding the reefs with hatchery juvenile abalone and transplanting adult broodstock abalone. Despite a scarcity of reports on culturing abalone on artificial reef, a literature review examined broadly the functions of artificial reefs, particularly in the context of abalone enhancement, and the relationship between artificial reefs, hydrodynamics and ecology. The major finding was that the success of artificial reef projects is highly dependent on the environment of the chosen site, and that preliminary studies are essential to predict their likely success. This consideration alone provided strong justification to undertake this study. The topography at the Altona site was generally flat, with natural patches of low basalt boulder reef, offering low habitat complexity, yet supporting a diverse range of flora and fauna, including a low-density wild stock of H. rubra. Water depth was a mean of 3.3 m at low tide and 4.4 m at high tide. A single, uncomplicated, concrete artificial reef of H-shape design, was tested as abalone habitat. The hydrodynamic analysis confirmed previous studies of Port Phillip Bay, with mild current speeds of mean 0.045 m.s-1, and maximum-modelled wave height (H1/3) of 1.21 m and period (T1/3) of 4.51 sec. Water temperature ranged from 9.9şC during July to 23.8şC during January, with salinity averaging of 35.5 ppt. The site had a low probability of receiving drift algae, necessary as a food source for abalone, because of its geographic location, potentially affecting ranch productivity. Ecological monitoring of the three-year old artificial reef shows complex changes in the flora and fauna over time, particularly in respect of the sessile fauna. Key differences between the artificial reef and a nearby natural reef community were: lower cover of corallines and late colonisers, such as sponges. High levels of sedimentation were recorded at the Altona site. Hatchery juvenile H. laevigata, with mean survival of 15% after two years and a mean annual growth rate of 39 mm, showed the most promise for outplanting. In comparison, for hatchery juvenile H. rubra, mean survival was 9% after three years and mean annual growth rate was 22 mm. No natural recruitment of H. laevigata was recorded on artificial reef despite transplants of adult broodstock on the reefs. Natural recruitment of H. rubra was also low and insufficient to reliably contribute to abalone ranch stock. Having examined the hydrodynamic, ecological and enhancement attributes of the Altona site, the study concluded that the site was marginally viable for abalone ranching, and that an alternative site near Werribee, 20 km further southwest, had superior attributes for growth and survival of abalone.

Evaluation of an environmental rating tool for commercial building design

This research examined the inclusion of environmental rating tools in the design of commercial buildings. Environmental issues are becoming increasingly important for designers and the results of the study suggest that rating tools can be an asset to design teams, provided they are integrated and reinforced throughout the design process.

Environmental assessment methods in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is one of the fastest developed cities in the region. On top of all the current and future environmental challenges, Abu Dhabi aims to be among the top governments in the world in sustainable development. Abu Dhabi plans to create an attractive, livable and sustainable managed urban environment in which all necessary services and infrastructure are provided in a sustainable and timely manner. Abu Dhabi is engaged in a difficult challenge to develop credible environmental indicators that would assess the ambitious environmental targets. The aim of those indicators is to provide reliable guidance to decision makers and the public concerning key factors that determine the state of urban environment and identify major areas for policy intervention. In order to ensure sustainable development in UAE in general, and of Abu Dhabi City in particular, relevant and contextual environmental indicators need to be carefully considered. These indicators provide a gauge at a national government scale of how close countries are to establish environmental policy goals. The environment indicators assist city decision-making in such areas as identification of significant environmental aspects and observation of environmental performance trends. Those can help to find ways of reducing environmental pollution and in improving eco-efficiency. This paper outlines recent strategies implemented in Abu Dhabi that aims to improve the sustainable performance of the city's built environment. The paper explores the variety of current and possible indicators at different levels and their roles in the development of the city.

Building T, Deakin University

Building T at Deakin University, Burwood in Victoria was designed by DesignInc. The development, located in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, utilises thermal mass and hybrid ventilation systems. This case study provides a detailed evaluation of the building in terms of its energy efficient design features.

Promoting the reuse and recycling of building demolition materials

The demolition of constructed structures has earned a negative reputation for the construction industry due to the enormous amount of waste that is sent to landfills. Demolition waste reuse and recycling is, therefore, significant; it is a new and illustrative perspective on demolition waste management from the viewpoint of the building material lifecycle. It is discovered that demolition waste reuse and recycling plays important roles in value transformation for building material lifecycle, local economics,
sustainable environment and nature resource conservation. In this research article, the authors aim to pinpoint demolition waste management in the lifecycle of building materials, and to examine various economic and environmental aspects of demolition waste reuse and recycling. In addition, the barriers, limitations and solutions for improving the implementation of demolition waste reuse and recycling are discussed in the article.

Sustainability: meaning and measurement with application to agriculture

Sustainability refers to having the ability to meet present needs without impacting on future generations to meet their needs. It incorporates social, economic and environmental aspects, and as a measure of sustainability, a range of sustainability indicators at the economy, regional, and individual level, have been suggested. However, given the complex and multidisciplinary nature of the concept, an interdisciplinary approach is necessary. Sustainability is not something that is easily measurable, and the aim of this paper is to present a conceptual framework for quantifying sustainability on the basis of social economic efficiency. According to neoclassical economic theory, economic activity will only be sustained by the private sector as long as it is profitable. However, private economic decisions do not always ensure long-term sustainability of environmental resources or production. The approach suggested here is to derive a measure of social economic efficiency as a measure of sustainability. For dairy farmers, increased productivity has been emphasized, while recognizing the need to reduce greenhouse emissions, pests and disease, nutrient run-off into the environment and degradation of the soil structure. By incorporating environmental and economic impacts, a fuller measure of efficiency, social economic efficiency, and sustainability of the farming practice can be developed.

Measuring regional sustainability: lessons to be learned

Developing tools for measuring progress toward sustainability has proven a challenging task. Indicators offer an excellent means to explore the success or otherwise of management strategies. They also allow reporting social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability. To ensure that the tools developed are effective in measuring the progress toward sustainable futures, an evaluation of the methods and the indicators used must be undertaken so that with progress there is learning and with the new knowledge methods can be redesigned to better advance sustainability. This paper discusses a study carried out in the south west region of Victoria, Australia, using indicators as the basis for developing a tool to measure progress toward sustainability. By evaluating the methods and indicators used in the study this paper provides an insight into the challenges encountered and the lessons learned. Issues explored include selecting indicators, collating data, integrating social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability and using an adaptive approach.