Joe Hockey MP opens new ‘green’ centre for business analytics

SYDNEY, Australia  (15 Oct 2009)  –  Speaking at today’s opening of a new ‘green’ education centre which will boost Australia’s capacity to compete in global markets, the Hon Joe Hockey MP, Federal Member for North Sydney and the Shadow Treasurer reflected that, “Distance is no longer a barrier to our ability to provide services to the world and the fact is that each of you has the capacity to be a service provider, particularly to the whole Asia region”.

The newly built centre is within the Sydney head office complex of SAS Australia, the company which is the clear leader in business analytics and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market.

SAS has been in Australia since shortly after its founding 33 years ago and counts major financial and educational institutions, together with government agencies and other large organisations, amongst its customers in this country. 

Predictive analytics critical to Australia’s global competitiveness
Welcoming his guest of honour and inviting him to declare the centre open, Gordon Clubb – SAS Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, said, “Since the onset of the global financial crisis last year, business has been tougher everywhere and companies have had to become smarter in order to compete.

“And whether we are starting to see recovery or – or as many pundits suggest – that it will be a long time before economic conditions are again generally robust, Australian businesses must be in a position to make more reliable decisions in order to survive and flourish.

“Better decisions call for better information and – above all – the ability to analyse that better information for greater insight.  This is what SAS is all about and the opening of this new facility here today will result in many more Australians being trained in analytical skills, to meet an ever growing demand.”

Responding, Joe Hockey acknowledged the importance of investing in services and said, “By SAS investing in this facility you are not only investing in your own business, but you are investing in your client’s businesses and for that, you truly deserve commendation”.

New centre complements SAS’ already impressive ‘green’ credentials
The new centre has been built to demanding ‘green’ standards.  Heating, cooling and lighting are all designed to sense actual need, so that energy consumption is automatically attuned to occupancy levels room-by-room in real-time.  Windows are tinted against heat absorption and floor coverings and ceiling tiles are fabricated from natural, recycled and recyclable materials throughout.

In addition, washrooms are designed for non-wasteful water usage and this will build on SAS’ already commendable record in this respect – in Q2 of this year, water consumption at the company’s Lane Cove complex was 20 per cent lower than in the same period last year.

In general over the past full year, SAS’ ‘green’ initiatives at Lane Cove have equated to a reduction of 137 tonnes of CO2 and all this is very much in keeping with SAS globally. At its headquarters in the United States, the company’s own solar array ‘farm’ feeds 1.7 million kilowatt hours a year into the public electricity grid.

SAS® for Sustainability Management
The SAS for Sustainability Management solution is a set of software tools which enable an organisation to measure, manage and report on the ‘triple bottom line’ – environmental, social and economic indicators – and determine business strategies that reduce risk and increase shareholder value.  For more information see – http://www.sas.com/solutions/sustainability/index.html 

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