Canberra authorities are offering incentives to commercial office buildings that implement changes to cut down on energy and water consumption.

The Tune Up Canberra campaign allows $2 million dollar-for-dollar ACT Government grants in two stages. Applications have been ongoing since the campaign began in April 12, 2010 until it ends on June 3, 2011.

Owners of Class 5 commercial properties with more than 500 square meters in gross floor area can apply for Stage 1 or Stage 2 funding.

In Stage 1, owners can apply for a grant of up to $8,000 (GST inclusive), to be matched dollar-for-dollar by the owner, to complete a Tune Up report.
The report must identify:
• current energy and / or water usage (the building’s existing baseline)
• how energy and / or water savings can be made
• what energy and /or water savings can be made, and
• the cost of achieving these energy and / or water savings.

In Stage 2, the owner can apply for up to $100,000 (GST inclusive), to be matched dollar-for-dollar by the owner, to undertake agreed capital works based on the findings and recommendations of:
• the Tune Up report prepared during Stage 1 or
• an independently produced report recently commissioned/produced by the applicant which contains similar content to a Tune Up report.

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