By CASEY NEILL
HILTON Manufacturing has continued a successful year with a sustainability award.
Greater Dandenong mayor Heang Tak announced the council’s Sustainability Awards winners at a SEBN breakfast at Sandown Racecourse in Springvale on Tuesday 3 May.
He said the awards recognised that businesses had a significant role to play in reducing negative impacts on the environment.
“Sustainability is not only good for our environment, it’s also good for business,” he said.
Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) picked up the Sustainable Development award.
Its Clarence Reardon Centre at Springvale Botanical Cemetery has more than 500 solar panels on the roof that last year prevented 150 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
Other features include double-glazed windows, rainwater tanks for toilet flushing and landscape irrigation, and more.
The category’s other finalists were EPC Pacific for the ATO building in central Dandenong, and Frasers Property for the Tyres 4U Warehouse and the Astral Pool Distribution Centre.
Hilton’s Sustainable Business win came after the company took home Premier Regional Business Award at a Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce gala event last month.
A 340-panel solar farm on the Dandenong South factory’s roof tracks the sun, and installing LED lighting has reduced the overall lighting load by 62 per cent.
Hilton installed variable drive speed units to reduce air compressor energy consumption, which led to a 50 per cent cut in energy consumption.
The other finalists in the category were Wallara Australia, International Chemical Engineering and Lexington Gardens Retirement Village.
These two awards followed presentations for Sustainable Home and Garden, Sustainable School and Sustainable Students gongs at the Family Sustainability Festival at Dandenong Market on 21 February.
The awards recognised and rewarded the community’s efforts towards a more sustainable environment.
Eddie Botha won the Sustainable Home and Garden award for changes he and his wife have made to their property.
Wooranna Park Primary was the Sustainable School Award winner and the four winners in the Sustainable Students category were Sa Up and Yuhao Chen from Noble Park Primary and Emily Stephens and Sonja Iovan from Wooranna Park.
