Helping employees switch to EVs has gained Fisher & Paykel Healthcare the Smarter Transport Award at the 2019 NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards.
EVs driven by employees has risen from four to 58 since December 2016, with F&P Healthcare installing 46 charging stations at its East Tamaki campus in Auckland and the company providing electricity to staff at cost, thanks to backend billing provided by ChargeNet NZ which captures data for monthly reports.
This smart transport project is part of the company’s wider sustainability initiative, with co-funding provided by the Government’s low emission vehicle contestable fund administered by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
Other initiatives include minimising air freight, installation of solar panels, shower facilities to encourage cycling, charging plugs for e-bikes, bike maintenance stands and pumps, encouraging public transport use, and providing dedicated premium car park spaces for employees who car share.
Blue Cars, which offers EV rentals, sales and service, including e-scooters and a range of charging solutions, received a commendation in the NZ Transport Agency sponsored award.
Finalists included ORIX New Zealand, Meridian Energy, Mevo, Tourism Holdings and Yoogo Share – the latter rebranded Zilch.
A Sustainability Superstar award went to EcoStock Supplies managing director Andrew Fisher who pioneered ‘food-to-feed’ diverting food waste from landfill and is now working on ‘food-to-fuel’ using a planned commercial anaerobic digestion plant that will extract fuel from food waste in partnership with Pioneer Energy.
Cityhop founder Victoria Carter was a finalist in this category.
The Revolutionising Energy award sponsored by EECA went to AUT University for its energy efficiency initiatives to reduce energy consumption, energy costs, and CO2 emissions which it aims to reduce by 50% by 2025.
It pioneered New Zealand’s first electric bus – now the shuttle bus between campuses – leading to an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions per trip compared to a diesel bus.
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