18 October 2007

Queensland developer Heritage Pacific’s Genesis community at Coomera is an example of best practice in the battle to cut the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, a new study by climate change consultants Climate Risk has found.

In a Telstra-sponsored report, Towards a High-Bandwidth, Low-Carbon Future, Telecommunications-based Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Climate Risk says that Genesis residents have significantly lower carbon emissions because they have access to high-speed optical-fibre cable in most homes which allows them to work from home instead of driving into the office.

“Many residents employed in Brisbane are working from home at least one day per week,” the report says.

“One resident has been able to move a high-technology sound production business to his home. The uptake of teleworking at the development has the potential to save a considerable amount of greenhouse gas emissions.”

Telstra calculates that each Genesis resident who regularly works one day per week from home instead of travelling to a Brisbane office saves 780kg of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

If just 300 people at Genesis – which will have 700 homes upon completion – telecommute for one day per week 215 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions will be saved every year.

Responding to the report Genesis Project Manager Stephen Harrison said the finding was a welcome endorsement of the environmentally-friendly approach that Heritage Pacific had taken at Genesis since its inception.

“We have meticulously designed Genesis from the ground up to be a showcase of environmentally-friendly design and innovation and this recognition by Telstra is the latest reward for our foresight,” Mr Harrison said.

Genesis has won a number of other accolades including the top award from the National Stormwater Industry Association (SIA) for innovations including the use water sensitive urban design and recycled water and rainwater tanks on all houses to cut potable water demand by up to 84 per cent.

The Climate Risk report has been peer reviewed by independent experts: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia's Chief Executive Officer, Greg Bourne, and leading Australian energy and environmental authority, Dr Hugh Saddler.

Genesis was Telstra’s first Smart Community connected with Telstra Velocity Fibre To The Premises cabling to every homesite.

Once Genesis is completed it will incorporate more than 700 homes in a prime location on the eastern side of the M1 (Pacific Motorway), 35 minutes from the Brisbane CBD and 20 minutes from Surfers Paradise.

For more information call (07) 5519 3933, visit www.genesiscoomera.com.au or visit the Genesis Sales Centre on the corner of Picnic Creek Drive and Daintree Drive, Coomera, open seven days 9am-5pm.

ENDS: Media enquiries to Duncan Macfarlane on (07) 3229 0943 or 0435 092 936.