Water submetering drives savings

We regularly scan for opportunities to improve the systems we use to track resource use and identify efficiency opportunities across our portfolio. Over the past year, we expanded the installation of water submetering across almost all of our retail centres. Installation of water submetering means that instead of only being able to track water use of an entire site, we are able to track the water use of individual tenancies, common areas, amenities, and equipment such as cooling towers.

We initiated the submetering rollout so that we could better understand water use in our centres and quickly identify how we can partner with our tenants to achieve water efficiencies.

Efficiencies achieved at Stockland Baulkham Hills (NSW) showcase the benefits that submetering will provide across our portfolio into the future. Our centre at Baulkham Hills reduced its water use by one million litres and saved $3,000. The submetering enabled us to identify particular tenancies with whom we could partner to take advantage of efficiency opportunities unearthed by the submetering data.

For example, we worked with a centre restaurant to shift it to air cooling technology (instead of water cooling), to install 10-second timers on taps, and to reduce its overnight water usage from 20 per cent of evenings to only one evening per month. These initiatives alone have saved approximately 5kL of water per day and have a return on investment period of less than twelve months.

Other benefits of the submetering include prompt leak detection and correction, as well as daily alarms that escalate issues on site to the engineering team.