Hallelujah! Finally, the warehouse is getting a makeover. I couldn’t be more relieved – I’ve been saying for nearly a year now that the lights aren’t up to the task anymore. Frankly, these could end up being dangerous conditions to work under, not to mention unpleasant ones.
I’m very pleased to hear that the fluorescent lighting bars are going to be replaced with LED high bay lighting. Industrial LED lighting – for Melbourne businesses, at least – is becoming more and more accessible, so I’ve been making it known to the honchos that our operation ought to move in that direction. Not only do they run on far less energy than the lights we have now, they also don’t generate heat, so the fire risk they pose is lower. What a no-brainer.
Management is reportedly still on the fence on the question of solar. From where I’m standing, there’s no question about it – we should 100% get set up for it. It’s not like grid electricity prices are getting any lower or less volatile, so why not (at the very least) supplement it by generating some power here on the rooftop? I get that the CEO is wary of the costs spiralling out of control, but I sense that he’s seriously considering my recommendations for installing a commercial solar generation and storage system.
From what I understand, between incentives like the VEEC scheme and Environmental Upgrade Agreements, the outlay should be totally manageable (me, study the company’s annual statement and financial records in minute detail? Never…). Beyond that, the improvement in our sustainability credentials certainly won’t be bad for business. Management has been saying for ages that they want to up their environmental certification game, and this is the first sign they’ve shown of actually doing something about it.
I suspect they see me as ‘just’ a carpenter (and an annoying one at that) – I don’t know, maybe I’m projecting. But I wish they’d stop giving empty lip service to environmental responsibility. Putting up ‘turn off the lights’ signs in the toilets isn’t going to cut it.