Environmental audit

Environmental or sustainability audits are useful for businesses with large bills for energy, water or waste.

For example, a bakery franchise could apply the lessons learnt from an audit to all franchises, and update the national operation or a production process.

An environmental audit can help you to:

• make long-term savings to energy or water, or reduce waste – for example, a printing firm switches to waterless inks and uses only one fiftieth of their previous water consumption 
• find unexpected ways to save money by recommending changes in behaviour –  a good audit will take a close look at your business and suggest changes to workplace behaviours
• become more sustainable and create new marketing opportunities with other businesses or consumers – this can include getting formal recognition or accreditation.

Who can do an energy and water audit?

• Check the Melbourne carbon services directory to find advisers and consultants who offer a complete environmental audit for small to larger businesses.
• The Clean Energy Regulator offers a list of accredited energy auditors to assess your air conditioning and refrigeration.  

Tips, advice and further resources

• Before you hire an auditor, ask if they have any case studies on a similar business to help you decide on their approach and successes. 
• Some auditing companies offer software linked to an accounting package to track energy and water usage after the audit.
• Once the first environmental audit is completed and savings have been made, business operators typically start looking for even more ways to be efficient.
• Sustainability Victoria offers grants of up to $18000 for businesses through the boosting productivity energy assessment grants program.