Sustainable Business Program

• Free Energy Assessment (Business)

  What’s involved and how long will it take?

  An energy assessment is simple and completed in three easy steps.
  
  

  1. Energy bill review
     An energy assessor reviews your utility bills to identify usage patterns and energy waste. This is quick and requires minimal effort from you.
  2. On-site inspection
     The assessor inspects key equipment, lighting and appliances and provides tailored advice. The visit is scheduled around your availability.
  3. Final report and next steps
     You’ll receive a clear report with recommended upgrades, cost-saving estimates and available rebates. There’s no obligation to proceed, but council support is available if you choose to take the next step.

  
  Contact us to find out more:

  Email: enviro@portphillip.vic.gov.au

• Business Energy Tips

  Ready to Take Control of Your Business Energy Use? 

  If you're keen to get started quickly - whether you're running a small, medium, or large business - these resources can help you take immediate action to manage energy use and cut costs. 

  Tips for managing business energy costs 

  https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/businesses  

  Energy Tips: Geelong Sustainability

• Small Business Climate Adaptation Toolkit

  A toolkit made for you

  The Climate Adaptation Toolkit is an interactive, self-guided resource developed by SECCCA to help small business owners prepare for climate change.

  Climate adaptation toolkit — SECCCA

  It guides you through a seven-step process to understand local climate impacts, assess risks and opportunities, and develop a practical adaptation action plan. The toolkit takes around 45–90 minutes to complete and can be downloaded from SECCCA.

  The toolkit was developed with small businesses across the SECCCA region, covering a range of sectors and locations, and is supported by SECCCA’s member councils, including City of Port Phillip and neighbouring councils.

• Sustainable Upgrade support – Suppliers, quotes & products

  Solar Savers - More than just solar

  We’ve partnered with Solar Savers to make it easier for businesses to improve energy efficiency and lower energy bills. The program connects you with trusted, vetted suppliers for a wide range of business energy upgrades, including:
  
  

  • Split system heating and cooling
  • Hot water heat pump systems
  • Induction cooktops
  • EV chargers                                     
  • Insulation
  • Draught proofing
  • Solar PV systems
  • Battery storage
    
    

  Whether you're looking to improve the sustainability of your premises or reduce your energy costs, this program offers reliable solutions to support your goals. Register – Port Phillip | Solar Savers to get started today! 

• CitySwitch (Office-based Businesses)

  Australia’s flagship sustainability program for office-based businesses.

  Council is a proud partner and member of the CitySwitch program, offering this service free to commercial office tenants in the City of Port Phillip. The program provides a wide range of resources and services, including:
  
  

  • Tools and self-assessment templates
  • Free expert advice and walk-through audits
  • Access to funding opportunities
  • Free workshops and networking events
  • Annual awards and recognition
  • Industry research and insights 
    

  To find out more, contact us today! You can also visit the CitySwitch - sustainability support for businesses website, or read a local success story: Local business leads the way to net zero with support from CitySwitch - City of Port Phillip.

• Business Renewables Buying Group

  Looking to switch to 100% renewable energy?

  City of Port Phillip has partnered with 8 other Councils to support a Business Renewables Buying Group.  

  The program is designed to bring together a group of like-minded businesses seeking to switch to renewable electricity. With the support of an external facilitator, the group will work collectively to scale up their buying power whilst cutting complexity, time, and cost associated with going 100% renewable. 

  Through the program we are striving to build and refine this model and create a repeatable and scalable group purchasing method to support more businesses to join a renewable future. 

  To find out more visit Business Renewables Buying Group.
  If you are ready to take the leap, fill out an EOI - Business Renewables Buying Group registration form. 

Additional Resources and Services

• Circular Economy & Climate Action

  • Circular Economy Business Innovation Centre
    Access advice, programs, events, funding, and grants to help your business adopt circular economy practices.
  • Nine steps to a more sustainable bar, restaurant or café  (PDF, 162 KB)
    Practical tips to reduce waste, save energy, and operate more sustainably in the hospitality sector.

• Compare Green Energy Providers

  Looking to switch to a greener energy plan? These trusted tools can help you compare electricity, gas, and solar offers to find the best option for your home or small business:
  
  

  • Victorian Energy Compare
    A free, government-run tool to compare electricity, gas, and solar offers from all energy retailers in Victoria. Tailored to your actual usage.
  • Energy Made Easy
    A free service from the Australian Energy Regulator to help small businesses and households compare energy plans across providers.
  • Green Electricity Guide by Greenpeace
    Created by Greenpeace, this independent guide ranks electricity retailers based on their environmental performance and commitment to renewable energy.

• Waste and Recycling

  • Council’s A to Z guide to recycling
    Find out how to correctly dispose of or recycle hundreds of everyday items in your area.
  • Sustainability Victoria’s waste audit worksheet,
    A practical tool to help households and businesses understand their waste habits and identify opportunities to reduce waste.
  • Port Phillip Resource Recovery Centre
    Drop off a wide range of items including e-waste, green waste, plant pots, small car parts, cooking oils, motor oils, and more.
  • Cigarette butt recycling via TerraCycle
    Recycle cigarette butts and other hard-to-recycle items through TerraCycle’s free programs.
  • Business Waste and Recycling
    Learn about Council services available to support local businesses with waste and recycling.