Carbon footprinting Standard – announcement of upcoming project

Standards New Zealand is forming a mirror committee for the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee 207 SC7 – GHG Management, to ensure New Zealand can effectively participate in the ISO carbon footprinting Standard.

For more information, email angela.henderson@standards.co.nz.

Biofuel meeting – June 2009

An International Organization for Standardization 'sustainability criteria for biofuel' meeting will be held in Berlin, Germany, from 8 – 9 June, 2009. This meeting will identify the drafting committee that will write the zero draft of the Standard.

Standards New Zealand is in the process of selecting the New Zealand delegate to represent all national interests.

For more information, email angela.henderson@standards.co.nz.

Reducing carbon emissions and promoting energy efficiency – update on international workshop

Cooperation on international Standards to promote energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions was given a major boost by a workshop in Paris, France, on 16 – 17 March 2009, which brought together 290 international experts from the public and private sectors.

The workshop was jointly organised by the International Energy Agency, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

The workshop confirmed that key players in the energy sector consider international Standards essential instruments to support the implementation of energy efficiency practices. The experts underlined their commitment to contribute to and collaborate in the development of these Standards.

The workshop provided an opportunity to develop an overview of work that has to be done on energy efficiency and for technical experts and public sector decision-makers to exchange information and map out the path forward. In particular, the importance of energy efficiency standardisation was emphasised and how it can support carbon emissions reduction by providing internationally agreed metrics.

Water efficiency labelling scheme – workshop

Standards New Zealand held a workshop, sponsored by the Ministry for the Environment, on 10 March 2009, to discuss ways of improving representation on the joint Australia/New Zealand committee WS-032 (water efficient appliances).

The WS-032 committee is responsible for developing Water efficient products – Rating and labelling, AS/NZS 6400:2005. One of the outcomes of the workshop was agreement to support the establishment of a New Zealand water efficiency labelling scheme (WELS) advisory group, to ensure that the views of New Zealand stakeholders are well represented at meetings of WS-032.

Standards New Zealand is inviting stakeholder organisations to nominate representatives onto the New Zealand WELS advisory group. The aim is to hold meetings of the advisory group prior to WS-032 committee meetings in Australia, in order to agree on issues that New Zealand stakeholders wish to have taken to committee meetings by New Zealand representatives on WS-032.  ...read more [opens in new window]

Water Footprint Standard – call for stakeholder feedback – update

In the Issue 4 of Touchstone in April 2009, we included an article about Standards New Zealand seeking comments from stakeholders on a new work item proposal (NWIP) for a new international Standard that will deliver principles, requirements, and guidelines for a water footprint metric of products, processes, and organisations.

Standards New Zealand is still seeking New Zealand's views and advice on this work before 15 May 2009, in particular:

• does New Zealand agree the work is feasible and should go ahead?
• does New Zealand have any relevant documents to contribute to the development?
• does New Zealand want to actively participate in this work, at least by commenting on working drafts?

For more information, or to submit comments, including support for or opposition to the proposal, please email angela.henderson@standards.co.nz. All comments submitted to Standards New Zealand will be considered, and will be used to inform the New Zealand position on this proposal.

DRAFT STANDARDS FOR COMMENT

DZ 6806 Acoustics – Road traffic noise – New and altered roads

This Standard will assist road controlling and consent authorities to manage the effects of road traffic noise from new and altered roads through the provision of consistent procedures and requirements for measurement, prediction, assessment and mitigation of such noise. This will help to achieve more expeditious and consistent decision-making nationally.

Public comment on this draft closes on 12 June 2009.

Environmental Choice New Zealand

The following proposed Specification is open for public comment until 29 May 2009.

EC-45-09 Cleaning Contracts

The following Specification update is open for public comment until 1 June 2009.

EC-18-09 Recycled Rubber Products

Specification documents are available on www.enviro-choice.org.nz or by contacting:
The New Zealand Ecolabelling Trust,
PO Box 56-533, Dominion Road, Mt Eden
Auckland 1446.
Tel: 09 845 3330
Fax 09 845 3331
email info@enviro-choice.org.nz

UPDATE ON STANDARDS IN DEVELOPMENT

Acoustics – Road traffic noise – New and altered roads

Committee: P6806
Project manager: Stuart Ng
Estimated publication date: July 2009
Comments: The draft is out for public comment until 12 June 2009. Standards New Zealand is working with stakeholder organisations to coordinate workshops to assist those intending to submit public comment.

Acoustics – Wind farm noise

Committee: P6808
Project manager: Bruce Taylor
Estimated publication date: October 2009
Comments: The revised draft Standard, DZ 6808 closed for public comments on 30 April 2009. The next stage is for the committee to consider the comments received.