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Environmental Management Plan Implementation Mid-Term Report

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Environmental Management Plan Implementation Mid-Term Report Environmental Management Plan Implementation Mid-Term Report Compiled by: Dr Su Wild-River, Deputy Manager, The Australian National University Sustainability Office Facilities and Services Division Innovations Building 124 [email protected] Published by: The Australian National University ISSN November 2012 The ANU Sustainability Office Wayne Ford John Sullivan Associate Director, Manager, Sustainability Facilities Planning Office Su Wild-River Stephen Fahy Deputy Manager, Sustainability Officer, Sustainability Energy & Water Adam Taylor Jeffrey Albrecht Sustainability Officer, Sustainability Officer, Transport Landscape Teifi Caron Amy Guthrie Sustainability Officer, Sustainability Officer, Projects Heritage Tim Yiu Jennifer McMillin Sustainability Officer, Community and Biodiversity Outreach Acknowledgements Acknowledgements are due to all who have contributed to ANU success as an environmental leader. Thanks in particular go to the University Executive for supporting an innovative and comprehensive environmental program. Facilities and Services Directors are also thanked for maintaining the Sustainability Office with its distinctive, integrative and engaging Program. We appreciate the challenges in maintaining unique and integrated work units during times of change. The Environmental Management Planning Committee (EMPC) has provided valuable comments, suggestions, support and enthusiasm for the ANU Sustainability Program since 1997. We are grateful for these contributions. We deeply appreciate the significant and essential sustainability contributions of the ANU community. Everyone who takes active measures to reduce their environmental impact is helping with campus sustainability. Hundreds of people have gone further by encouraging environmental stewardship in others. Many have also taken up the challenge of aligning research with real-life sustainability challenges facing the ANU. The results of these ‘campus as classroom’ projects have helped to develop new ideas, to test options, and to entrench sustainability solutions. Some individual contributions are noteworthy. Professor Henry Nix was the inspiring inaugural EMPC chair, and has been ably replaced by Professor Ian White in recent years. Bart Meehan was the Facilities and Services Associate Director who initiated the ANU Sustainability Office, and was a tireless champion for its work throughout its early years (numbering more than a decade). Wayne Ford ably took over the direction of the ANU Sustainability Office in recent years, opening many new opportunities and helping to align Sustainability with other facilities management initiatives. Mick Serena’s and Karen Hill’s divisional leadership are also acknowledged with gratitude. Individual photographs are not labeled in the report, but the photographers include Jeff Albrecht, Teifi Caron, Natalie Cheong Xing Ern, James Collet, Nina de Caritat, Stuart Hay, Scott Holgate, Barr Hughes, Sarah Kluttz, Tim McCann, Jennifer McMillin, Hector Salazar, Adam Taylor, Su Wild-River, Vikki Wilkes, Tim Yiu. 1 CONTENTS Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. 1 List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................... 5 An introduction from the Director .......................................................................................................... 6 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 7 About this report..................................................................................................................................... 9 1. People ............................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Outreach ..................................................................................................................................... 12 SLC Membership ........................................................................................................................... 12 ANUgreen website ........................................................................................................................ 14 Sustainability media products and outreach materials ................................................................ 15 Community perceptions of sustainability ..................................................................................... 15 1.2 Events .......................................................................................................................................... 17 1.3 Training ....................................................................................................................................... 20 Green Leaders Energy and Carbon Training ................................................................................. 21 GreenSteps .................................................................................................................................... 22 1.4 Projects ....................................................................................................................................... 24 Student research projects to reduce energy and water wastage in ANU residences .................. 25 1. Place .................................................................................................................................................. 27 2.1 Green Buildings ........................................................................................................................... 28 Implementing Sustainability Specifications and winning awards ................................................. 30 Human-Building Interactions ........................................................................................................ 33 2.2 Heritage Management ................................................................................................................ 34 ANU Heritage Strategy .................................................................................................................. 34 ANU Acton Campus Heritage Study .............................................................................................. 35 Other Campuses ............................................................................................................................ 35 Heritage Interpretation ................................................................................................................. 35 Heritage Management Plans ........................................................................................................ 36 Heritage Impact Assessments ....................................................................................................... 36 Heritage Award ............................................................................................................................. 36 2.3 Sustainable Landscapes .............................................................................................................. 37 A non-potable water mix .............................................................................................................. 41 Alternative surface treatments ..................................................................................................... 42 Protection zones that maintain key biodiversity values and biodiversity corridors ..................... 43 2.4 Transport ..................................................................................................................................... 45 Go Green Get Lean ........................................................................................................................ 49 3. Performance...................................................................................................................................... 50 3.1 Energy ......................................................................................................................................... 51 Solar Photovoltaic Arrays .............................................................................................................. 54 Converting from electric to gas heating ....................................................................................... 55 Sustainability dashboard ............................................................................................................... 55 3.2 Water .......................................................................................................................................... 57 Sustainability Videos ..................................................................................................................... 58 3.3 Procurement and Waste ............................................................................................................. 59 HotRot composting ....................................................................................................................... 61 Waste management awards ......................................................................................................... 61 3.4 Risk and Pollution ........................................................................................................................ 62 Chemical Inventory System ..........................................................................................................
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