The wonderful heritage environs that are the Central Deborah present their own challenges to any commitment to save energy, but the resolve of management has seen some changes implemented that will go some ways to making the Bendigo Trust a cleaner, greener more energy efficient organisation that can proudly take its place with its fellow EEIP participants as local champions of energy efficiency.

The Trust has implemented some substantial changes to lighting throughout the tourist complex as a result of taking part in the EEIP, an Origin Energy and City of Greater Bendigo initiative. Through informative workshops, presentations and site visits, the Trust gained valuable knowledge about becoming a more sustainable organisation.

The Bendigo Trust has committed to a raft of projects to transform the Central Deborah complex within the confines of its much loved rich heritage and historical character, including replacing older and less efficient light gloves with more efficient ones as they wear out, while a simple agreement to switch off all lights when not in use and not needed is roundly seen as the most effective method of saving energy and money.

Bendigo Trust management has sought to raise the awareness amongst staff of the principles of energy efficiency and how even some of the most simple things can achieve significant savings. There are also suggestions to install skylights in some sheds to improve lighting and reduce power usage.

Mal Telford from the Bendigo Trust says if an organisation so steeped in heritage as the Bendigo Trust can make improvements in its consumption of energy and accordingly reduce its power bills, most likely every other business in town can do the same.