Our Commitment to Sustainability:
Green Energy Solutions by DGE

 

We only have one planet Earth and we need to do all we can to protect it. That is the current sentiment in the business world.

It’s also the reason why DGE is committed to sustainability and everything that comes along with it.

Nearly all our projects are carried out to stringent Green Star standards, meaning sustainability is embedded in everything we do.

Not all electrical companies operate at these standards, and that’s why our extensive range of green energy solutions makes us the electrical engineering firm of choice for major Auckland projects.

We’d love to tell you a little more about how we uphold a genuine commitment to sustainability, so keep reading!

 

What Is Green Star Accreditation?

Green Star is an internationally recognised sustainability rating system for commercial buildings. The system encourages a reduced carbon footprint and energy efficiency by earning stars based on the building’s key sustainability credentials. Green Star standards transform how commercial buildings are planned, built and operated to produce a more sustainable result.

In order to fitout Green Star buildings, DGE had to work through a strict assessment and certification process. This process proves that we operate under best practice sustainable design and implementation practices, meeting all the criteria set by NZGBC.

Aligned with the United Nation’s global Sustainable Development Goals for a more sustainable future, Green Star takes a holistic approach to building. With careful consideration of the materials used, waste, and water efficiency, Green Star also demands the reduction carbon emissions, along with improved indoor environment quality and operational efficiency.

For a building to achieve a Green Star status, points are awarded in line with key environmental categories that assess a project’s sustainability. There are mandatory benchmarks that designate a lower-carbon, high-performing project, and an additional combination of optional credit to achieve an overall rating with a maximum of 6 green stars.

As you can probably understand, not just any provider can produce a Green Star fitout – DGE are among a prestigious group of electrical engineers who are certified to work at this level.

 

Sustainable Solutions for Every Project

As a leading electrical engineering firm, we believe that sustainable energy solutions are not only essential for the future of our planet but also beneficial for our clients in terms of long-term savings, efficiency, and innovation.

Here’s how we are contributing to a greener, cleaner future with our green energy solutions.

EV Chargers

As the popularity of electric vehicles grows, so does the demand for a reliable and accessible charging infrastructure. And it’s not just private and company vehicles that are going greener.

In fact, DGE recently went BIG by taking two Auckland bus stations and a Park and Ride Airport facility into the new age of transport. When entire fleets of buses that service busy local networks are transitioned to electric varieties, there are going to be a lot of EV chargers required.

We installed EV bus chargers and all of the cabling and switchboards associated with them. The magnitude of this project was not a problem for our skilled team.

Automated Lighting Solutions

A lot of energy can be wasted with the incorrect lighting setup, so a large part of achieving Green Star sustainability status involves light harvesting and smart lighting solutions.

The 2-warehouse project on Jerry Green Road in Wiri was a great example of a smart lighting solution. Every one of the lights was connected to an automated dimmable lighting system that tracked usage and controlled the lighting levels via motion detection and timers. Light harvesting protocols were also implemented with the installation of skylights to maximise natural light within the warehouses.

Light pollution can negatively impact a Green Star rating, so the outdoor lighting plan had to be carefully designed so that the floodlighting did not impact the neighbouring areas. Upon implementation, the lights had to be installed with pivot points so they could be correctly angled and moved in the future, should further light pollution occur.

Solar Panels

Harnessing the power of the sun’s energy is one of the most effective ways to reduce your reliance on the national power grid. Solar panels are a great way for all businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and energy costs via energy independence.

Big energy use calls for big energy solutions. Installing solar panels on the 2-premise project at Bowden Road, meant that our two tenants had an effective green solution to help power their energy needs.

With a warehouse and state-of-the-art office facility in one building, and a commercial kitchen and walk-in freezer reaching temperatures lower than -20 degrees, solar power made a significant energy contribution to their power needs.

Smart Electrical Solutions

There are many ways to manage the energy used at a commercial site, which is why we offer smart energy management systems that allow our clients to monitor and control their energy consumption in real time. Not only does this help to optimise energy use, but it can also lower costs and reduce energy waste.

As a market leader in electrical appliances, Fisher & Paykel had to walk to walk when it came to their new purpose-built building. That meant creating energy solutions that were as smart as the appliances they were designing.

So, their state-of-the-art building included the usual green solutions of solar panels and automated warehouse lighting, but took things next level by also instigating water harvesting solutions, all connected to a monitoring app so that they could establish what their usage was and how they could improve their energy efficiency.

 

Our Commitment to Sustainability

When it comes to electrically engineered energy solutions, DGE is leading the way. Sustainability is embedded in everything that we do. Yes, we have invested the time and funds to become a Green Star certified provider, but it is more than that.

We want the best energy solutions possible for our clients.

On every project, we will take the time to understand the goal or problem that our client is looking to address and plan a tailored solution that meets all of their energy needs – then, we implement it.

Regardless of whether a building is trying to achieve Green Star certification, we work to Green Star sustainability standards. It is simply the norm for DGE.

So, if you are looking for truly sustainable energy solutions, DGE are the electrical engineers for you, so get in touch with us to discuss your next project.

Phone: 09 526 3992
Email: enquires@dge.nz