ecoBiz and Business Clusters

ecoBiz is an eco-efficiency program administered by Gold Coast City Council on behalf of the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management.  The program assists businesses from various industries identify and introduce environmentally-friendly practices to achieve greater profitability by better managing water, energy and waste.

The ecoBiz toolbox is tailored for industrial/manufacturing businesses and provides spreadsheets to measure business resource consumption and waste outputs. These spreadsheets automatically generate data on greenhouse gas emissions, project payback, annualised resource inputs, waste and financial costs.

A specialised Small Business Edition (SBE) targeted at small service businesses, such as offices, shops and cafes is also available for a large range of other commercial service businesses (but is not suitable for industrial/manufacturing businesses).

For more information on ecoBiz consult the Queensland Government webpage.

The ClimateSmart Business Cluster Program (an ecoBiz initiative) is an opportunity for Gold Coast businesses to become a Cluster leader or be part of a Cluster to improve energy, water and waste efficiency. Each year since 2009, funding of $10,000 (ex GST) has been provided to approved Cluster Leaders to bring together Clusters of 20 businesses to progress through a 6 month efficiency improvement process. The latest round of applications is open until 9am 27 January 2012.

Gold Coast businesses can get more information about Business Clusters and express an interest in becoming a Cluster leader or being part of a Cluster, by contacting Business.Clusters@derm.qld.gov.au or the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM).