Green air-con business reaps benefits in spades
A CORIO businessman has been able to create a neutral energy cost for his air conditioning company in one year.
Insulpak Commercial Airconditioning managing director Robert Hegyesi said becoming energy efficient helped him remain competitive in a tough manufacturing environment.
After Mr Hegyesi did a sustainable energy program with the Geelong Manufacturing Council he had the knowledge and impetus to make the changes in his family business to get him to a neutral energy cost.
“I’ve invested $130,000 just in solar for the five buildings I have here,” Mr Hegyesi said. “I’ve put in LED lighting with switches that turn off after 10 minutes, which seems to be a good amount of time. And we collect water off the roof.”
It is not only a desire to be economically viable that has driven the change but also an interest in being environmentally sustainable. The two things go hand in hand, he reckons.
Old equipment removed by technicians when installing new systems is recycled. Company vehicles are fuelled by gas, and geothermal innovations are being trialled.
“If you have plenty of room a cost-effective option to get the heat out of the ground is to lay pipes as you build say a carpark or carport,’’ Mr Hegyesi said. “The heat coming from the ground is about 16 degrees and you can top that up to 21 using solar.”
He encouraged other business people to consider the up- coming Greenlight Energy and Masterclass series.
“It certainly gives you a payback and gets you into bet- ter practices,’’ Mr Hegyesi said.
The first of four free workshops will be held at the Geelong Conference Centre at Eastern Park on March 3. For information contact Geelong Manufacturing Council on 5222 8000.
“It certainly gives you a payback and gets you into better practices.” I NSULPAK MANAGING DIRECTOR ROBERT HEGYESI